1. I have a story about violence to tell. It is a true story but it also serves as a parable. As with all parables, it's up to you to draw the meaning you need from it.
There once was a very poor couple living in a very poor area of São Paulo. Inequality is so huge that where
There once was a very poor couple living in a very poor area of São Paulo. Inequality is so huge that where
2. they lived, the life expectancy was similar to that of Somalia while a few miles away, in the affluent area, it is closer to that of Switzerland.
The poor couple came from the Northeast and as all
The poor couple came from the Northeast and as all
3. Northeasterns in Sao Paulo and Rio, they are violently discriminated against.
The woman worked as a cleaning lady at a rich house. As such, she had no labor rights and was expected to also
The woman worked as a cleaning lady at a rich house. As such, she had no labor rights and was expected to also
4. cook, do the laundry, press the shirts, etc. She never had a vacation.
When she got home, she had her own domestic chores to attend to. She took care of those as fast as she could so that
When she got home, she had her own domestic chores to attend to. She took care of those as fast as she could so that
5. everything looked good and food was on the stove when her husband arrived home, invariably drunk. He then proceeded to humiliate and beat her. The beating ended with rape and with an ominous promise:
6. "When I have enough money, I'm going back North and I will kill you before I leave".
The woman had nobody to share her horrible story with. If her husband learned she had told any neighbor, he would kill her.
The woman had nobody to share her horrible story with. If her husband learned she had told any neighbor, he would kill her.
7. She was aware that the police were oblivious to domestic violence among "them", the Northeasterns. More than once she had heard them say that "they are just like animals".
8. The years passed, she took the beating, lied to the hospital when her husband broke her arm, hand or ribs and had those sick days discounted from her salary.
9. One particularly violent and loud day, when the husband was also particularly drunk, he passed out after raping her. She then picked up a hammer and clubbed his head with all her strength. He didn't move. He probably died right there and then. However, she clubbed him again
10. ... to make sure. And again, and again and again until his head was a pulp. Unfortunately, he had been loud during his torture session and the neighbors called the police. The police arrived and arrested her on the spot.
11. She was convicted of premeditated murder.
This story was told to me by the Eastern Sao Paulo Zone judge, a powerful man. He was devastated.
This story was told to me by the Eastern Sao Paulo Zone judge, a powerful man. He was devastated.
12. He knew she was the victim there and he was forced to sign her sentence. That day, he questioned whether there was any justice in the Justice system.
13. I asked about her. He didn't know what happened after the trial.
She spent years, or, rather, a lifetime being oppressed as a poor person, as a woman, as a non-white individual and as a migrant. One day, the pressure was too high
She spent years, or, rather, a lifetime being oppressed as a poor person, as a woman, as a non-white individual and as a migrant. One day, the pressure was too high
14. and the lid came out. The shy, quiet, submissive and caring woman murdered her captor with the mother of all overkills.
The end.
The end.
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