Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2012
Abstract
In this paper, I engage in a discussion of the experiences of Dominican women in Puerto Rico by using their own voices; voices that narrate the construction and deconstruction of their identities. These women have lived through daunting and often deplorable experiences of violence and disenfranchisement, but have also had wonderful stories and experiences along the way. These women in more ways than one “challenge the dominant discourse regarding women’s submission, intuition, and dependence vis-à-vis men.” I propose that while these immigrant women have put their lives on the line for their families and themselves, they are by no means passive, and are much more than just victims. The experience of migration for women can be marked by sexual violence and exploitation, while also giving them a sense of leadership and independence. The active voices of the women of the Centro de la Mujer Dominicana play a role in filling the void of information regarding Dominican women’s migratory experiences in Puerto Rico.
Recommended Citation
Sheila I. Velez Martinez,
Desde Quisqueya Hacia Borinquen: Experiences and Visibility of Immigrant Dominican Women in Puerto Rico: Violence, Lucha and Hope in Their Own Voices,
18
ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law
683
(2012).
Available at:
https://scholarship.law.pitt.edu/fac_articles/478
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