ABSTRACT
The Chilean economic miracle lifted over a million people outof poverty by 1995, a booming economic growth for 20% of those living in poverty prior to the mid-1990s. The Supara family living in a poor barrio of Peñalolen, Chile, were among the remaining 4 million whose economic struggles actually worsened during this period, sinking the family into an even deeper level of poverty. The four-member family live in a small home built of plywood and tarpaper, with a main gathering area about 12 feet by 12 feet across and an extension for sleeping, created out of more plywood pieces on a dirt floor covered with plastic. There is electricity and running water to the sink, but no plumbing in the home itself. An outhouse at the back of the small property serves as a toilet. Jorge, the father and implied head of the Supara household, formerly owned his own truck, but the maintenance costs and repair expenses became overwhelming. He was forced to sell his truck for parts and he has been at the mercy of small business owners who employ him as a part-time driver as needed. Jorge’s wife, Mirabel, stayed at home caring for their two young children, Pablo and Laura. She became increasingly very concerned, both for their economic situation and for Jorge’s response to their circumstances. Lack of work and limited resources frustrated Jorge; over time, his frustration turned to rage. “That is when the beating
began,” recalls Mirabel. “Before he lost the truck, he would only hit me out of anger and his anger was much less often. Now he knows that he can’t provide for the family. He has nothing to do and then he starts drinking. I know that when he drinks, he will become angry. I then must try to convince my neighbor, Ana, to watch the children. I do this because he not only hits me; he also sometimes beats the children. But, Jorge wanted us (and our neighbors) to know that he is the one in charge of the family, and that he is the one they needed to obey, and so trying to send them to Ana’s made him even more angry.”
