IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT JOBS - 1.5 Million American Families Live on $2 a Day
IT’S ABOUT CRIME — Intimate Partner Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and the resulting Trauma.
“The stories of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse seemed like the norm rather the exception.”
In a media environment where the experiences of the poor are often neglected, the book’s revelations about the depth and pervasiveness of poverty in the United States have been startling for many—including its two authors. YES! Magazine spoke with co-author H. Luke Shaefer about what poverty truly looks like in America, the stigmas attached to it, and just what can be done to eradicate it.
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Marcus Harrison Green: What would you say was the most harrowing experience you encountered during your research?
H. Luke Shaefer: The thing that keeps me up at night the most is the fact that these families face so much instability in their daily lives, and that leaves them open to all sorts of risks. The stories of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse seemed like the norm rather the exception, as families moved from crisis to crisis. One contact of ours went to live with her family and walked in on her uncle molesting her 9-year-old daughter. Another one told us, “I’ve been beat, I’ve been raped,” matter-of-factly. They have to always be looking out for the next threat.
More: 1.5 Million American Families Live on $2 a Day — These Authors Spent Years Finding Out Why