Abstract This research examines the experiences of female domestic workers in Calcutta, India, with a focus on the relationships between the workers and their female employers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty female domestic workers in Calcutta in 2015–2016. The women were asked to reflect on their relationships with their female employers, and responses were analyzed using grounded theory. Three themes emerged from the analysis, indicating three different kinds of relationships the workers had with their employers. Some of the women talked about a professional relationship, which is formal and lacks warmth, characterized by status differentiation. Others talked about a distant and abusive relationship, where exploitation is direct and explicit. The largest group talked about a caring and supportive relationship, where there is love, consideration, and understanding. All three groups of women, however, felt that their relationship with their female employer involved some level of exploitation, whether it was overt or concealed. These findings give voice to a vulnerable group of workers in contemporary India, exposing social relationships between women of different classes that are characterized by both compassion and exploitation. We argue that these women’s stories provide further evidence that legal protections must be put in place for domestic workers in India, in accordance with international recommendations.

中文翻译：

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家政工人在加尔各答的声音

摘要这项研究考察了印度加尔各答的女性家庭佣工的经历，并着重研究了工人与女性雇主之间的关系。2015-2016年，在加尔各答对三十名女性家庭佣工进行了半结构化访谈。要求女性反思自己与女性雇主的关系，并使用扎根理论对回应进行分析。分析得出了三个主题，表明工人与雇主之间的三种不同关系。一些妇女谈论一种职业关系，这种职业关系是正式的并且缺乏温暖，其特征是地位差异。其他人则谈到了一种遥远而虐待性的关系，剥削是直接而明确的。最大的小组讨论了关怀与支持的关系，有爱，考虑和理解的地方。但是，所有这三组妇女都认为，与女雇主的关系涉及某种程度的剥削，无论是公开的还是隐瞒的。这些发现使当代印度的弱势工人群体发出了声音，揭露了以同情和剥削为特征的不同阶级妇女之间的社会关系。我们认为，这些妇女的故事进一步证明了，根据国际建议，必须为印度的家庭佣工提供法律保护。这些发现使当代印度的弱势工人群体发出了声音，揭露了以同情和剥削为特征的不同阶级妇女之间的社会关系。我们认为，这些妇女的故事进一步证明了，根据国际建议，必须为印度的家庭佣工提供法律保护。这些发现使当代印度的弱势工人群体发出了声音，揭露了以同情和剥削为特征的不同阶级妇女之间的社会关系。我们认为，这些妇女的故事进一步证明了，根据国际建议，必须为印度的家庭佣工提供法律保护。