사회적 재난에서 시각장애인 여성 안마사 경험에 관한 탐색적 연구-소득, 권리의식, 정보접근 경험을 중심으로-

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the features and problems of the experience of a female masseur with severe visual impairment in the social disaster phase of COVID-19. Method: Five female masseuses and health keepers with visual impairments of level 1 were FGI to collect qualitative data on their experiences, and transcripts were collected and analyzed to derive common issues. Results: First, women who where interviewed commonly experienced reduced income and job insecurity amid the ban on face-to-face and contact required by COVID-19. Healthkeepers are guaranteed a relatively basic salary, but both jobs are the same in that they keep severely visually impaired women in a closed masseur job at the minimum wage for life. Second, because it is judged that the health keeper employed by company is relatively better than a private masseur, women have a low sense of rights and a passive attitude. This seems to be due in part to their inadequate provision of information on their employment and employment insecurity itself. Third, under the unequal conditions in which the changes since COVID-19 are mainly provided with visual information, severely blind women have very low levels of access to information and system understanding. Conclusion: These results clearly reveal the nature of their employment in the phase of social disaster, and suggest that the social interpretation of the masseuse--a reserved occupation for severely blind women-- should be different. It points to the social structure that confines women to masseuses jobs that provide legalized poverty where their lives are less than the minimum wage. In this regards, we suggest the development of various occupations and expansion of support systems for them, and expansion of education to improve awareness of their rights.