The idea of telling the stories of women that I heard a few years ago, during my work in different places in my country, Peru, and in Mexico, was something that was present in my mind from the moment I heard them. I recognize that they were stories that helped me look at life in a different way, through the lives of the women who are the protagonists of each story, but I also recognize that I tell and share these stories because of the strong effect that it left on me knowing that there are many people who live such different lives, but who despite adversity, move forward and continue on their paths.
The stories in this book are faithful to the original, narrated by the protagonists themselves in the midst of medical care, either in Peru or Mexico. I chose stories of women because of the deep pain I could feel when I met them, since they are stories full of pain, suffering, violence, indifference, injustice, machismo, but at the same time the stories also show strength, determination, courage, faith, hope and tenacity. For this reason I felt called to share them, and although at first their pain became my pain as well, later I was able to feel their strength, and I felt inspired by them in the midst of their pain.
Mujeres de carne viva is born in the midst of everyday life and tells stories of everyday life, with the living humanity of the protagonists being the main actress in each of the stories, seeking to respect the pain of each one, but without failing to mention that they were subjected to violence throughout their lives. The identity of each of them is protected so the names in each story are not the real names of the women, and I have also avoided giving many details of the places where the stories took place.
With this book I want to raise people's awareness of the reality that many people live, and in this case it is the reality that many women live. When we know what other people live in their lives, this can help us open our eyes and hearts, instead of judging or omitting wrong judgments in the face of the different realities that we can see. In this book I tell different stories in different settings, but despite the fact that the stories take place in different places, the similarity of the experiences shows that violence, indifference, and injustice have no borders or limits, so the stories are not limited to a certain space, which can help us think that these realities can occur anywhere on the planet.
Women of Living Flesh
Belissa Miluska Salinas Najarro
First digital edition: January 2025
ISBN: 978-612-03-0644-4
Legal deposit number: N° 2025-01797
With all the licenses
Urbanización Los Girasoles A15, Dpto 101, Cayma, Arequipa.
belissasalinasn@gmail.com
Digital book available at: https://tiempo-presente.tiendup.com/p/women-of-living-flesh
Translator: Yoli Jones
Editor: Magaly Caballero Méndez
Cover Design: Danya Pinto
Reproduction of this work in whole or in part by any means or method, or in any electronic or mechanical form, including photocopying or information retrieval systems, is prohibited without written permission from the author and publisher.
