Desempacando: Género, Migración y Violencia (2019)

Overview

Through the stories of women who travel undocumented to Puerto Rico, we learn about the reality of that trip in "yola" and the abuse, violence, racism and xenophobia that they must face to try to achieve their dream of a better life and send money to Dominican Republic for their families. In a study carried out by the Beatriz Lassalle Graduate School of Social Work of the University of Puerto Rico with the Center for Dominican Women, a sample of 900 women showed that 97% of said population are victims of emotional violence, 81% of physical abuse and 78% sexual abuse. Despite multiple violence, being victims of a system that oppresses them for being undocumented immigrants, women, Dominicans, and black, the narratives contain the stubbornness to live fully and to ensure a better future for themselves, their children and their children and the communities to which they belong in their countries of origin and in Puerto Rico.