The “Hidden Places” of Violence: Family Experiences of Aymara Bolivian Migrants in the Andean Triple-Border

Abstract

This article presents the results of an ethnographic study on the experiences of gender-based violence of Aymara Bolivian women employed in agriculture or agricultural trade in the outskirts of Chilean territories of the Andean tri-border region. Our objective is to analyze the aggressions that women suffer in their family circles. We will analyze the narratives of 30 women to describe the aggressions perpetrated by the male figures in their families of origin (fathers, brothers, stepfathers), and their mothers. In addition, we will observe how these abuses are repeated in the relationships that they build with their partners and children. We will see a potential difference in violence between the Chilean and Bolivian border territories, and recognizing this difference motivates female cross-border mobility. The text seeks to contribute to the discussions on gender-based violence in border contexts.