Free Lunch

Poverty and financial stress are known to be correlated with an increased risk of abuse and neglect. Economic stress leads to psychological distress, and parents in these situations may struggle to be emotionally and economically supportive toward their children. In Rex’s case, his mother Luciana’s love seems dependent on her finances. When she’s in the midst of hardship, she is emotionally and physically abusive: “When Mom isn’t working, she’s always upset and sad and she can’t love me like a normal mom. She gets mad at every little thing. No job means no money, which means no groceries or electricity” (11). A review of the relationship between poverty and child abuse and neglect shows that when parents are constantly concerned about money, tension both within them and the family rises, leading to conflict; the longer that a family is in poverty, and the more severe the poverty is, the higher the likelihood of abuse (Bywaters, et al., “The Relationship Between Poverty and Child Abuse and Neglect: New Evidence.” University of Huddersfield, 2022). Living in poverty also leads people to feel shame toward their situation, and Luciana’s shame clearly reflects in the way that Rex views himself.