The women, all over fifty, receive shelter, food and medical
was roaming the streets looking for trade when she
and psychological care here in the only refuge for prostitutes
stumbled across two colleagues, both over sixty, sleeping
in Latin America. Located only eight blocks from the historic
on the street, with only some newspapers for warmth.
centre of Mexico City, Casa X lies in the heart of the notorious
For almost forty years, their existence had been erased
district of Tepito, a name that has been synonymous with
from the memories of their families and society.
crime, smuggling and prostitution for the last five hundred
Forty years in which they provided their services to
years. In that time, the neighborhood has repelled attacks from
butchers, porters, refuse collectors and criminals.
the Aztec Empire and the Spanish Conquistadors, as well as
Confronted with what she realized would be her own
the current authorities. The women of Casa X clearly occupy
fate, and striving for dignity for all her colleagues,
the lowest rung on the ladder of this microcosm.
Carmen Muñoz resolved to set up a home that would
A series of astonishingly candid interviews with the women
offer them safety and warmth in the twilight of their
of Casa X, by the Mexican writer Amanda de la Rosa, serve to
lives. Twelve years later, in 2006, supported by Mexican
complement Malcolm Venville’s photographs. These are the
intellectuals and artists, the government made available a
portraits and testimonies of thirty-five survivors with much
seventeenth century mansion, where Carmen established
to say about life in a Latin American slum, about sex, poverty,
Casa Xochiquetzal, known today as Casa X.
love and the darkest side of human nature.
malcolm venville the women of casa x
One night in Mexico City, Carmen Muñoz, a sex worker,
malcolm venville the women of casa x
Malcolm Venville
is a film director and photographer.
He graduated in film, video and photographic arts from The Polytechnic of Central London. Venville’s published work includes Layers, a monograph of photographic work, Lucha Loco, a collection of Lucha Libre wrestler portraits photographed in Mexico City and Dressed to Kill, a detailed study of 1920s fashion. His directorial feature film debut 44 Inch Chest, was followed by Henry’s Crime.
Amanda de la Rosa
was born in Texas. She majored
in Mass Communication and Literature in Mexico City and Florida. In the field of journalism she has been published in the Mexican and international media, such as National Geographic, Traveler, Travel & Leisure. She is also a screenwriter for television.
www.schiltpublishing.com
COVER 2.indd 1
20-08-13 14:00
2
malcolm venville the
women of casa x
Text by Amanda de la Rosa
INTRODUCTION CASA XOCHIQUETZAL BY Amanda de la Rosa
4
Tepito, for the last five hundred years, has been one of the most feared districts of Mexico City. It is a separate reality with its own social organization, fashion, slang and even its own local deity, La Santa Muerte, The Holy Death. It is a sanctuary of crime and impunity and one risks entering Tepito only if you have a transcendent story to tell.
I went to Tepito as a result of an initiative by the photographer and director Malcolm Venville. He read an article I published on clandestine fighting and asked me to support him with an investigation. This was not the first time that Venville had taken a plane to Mexico. In 2006, he portrayed fighters in their battle suits and published a book called Lucha Loco. This time he came back to make a record of the women of Casa Xochiquetzal (so-she-KET-sahl).
Casa X is a refuge where prostitutes between fifty and ninety years old receive shelter, food, and medical and psychological help. It is important to clarify that this is not a retirement home: the ladies can still work and they can be seen entering and exiting local hotels using a walker and perhaps wearing a leopard miniskirt. The most expensive charges three hundred pesos and the cheapest, fifteen or less. In the house live such women as a bill collector for a department store, the wife of a kidnapper and a disgraced rich girl who denies she was ever a prostitute. Others include a Catholic devotee that hunts for clients in the Basilica of Guadalupe alongside several conventional grandmothers, the ones few suspect as being prostitutes.
In Mexico, prostitutes are often called “the women of
The interviews consisted of two questions – tell me
easy life” but the reality is that they are survivors of
about your life and talk to me about men. Some gave
perpetual loneliness and violence and, unsurprisingly,
lucid answers and others, their memories were blurred
they are difficult to deal with. Venville asked me to
from dementia and blackouts, told their stories as best
enter their world without expectations. I did not know
they could. What they shared are tragedies with much
what I would find and it took a month of regular visits
to say about life in a slum in Latin America, about sex,
to build trust. I experienced more generosity than
misery, love and the darkest side of human nature.
attacks and spending days with them was, above all,
The results are these portraits and testimonies of the
soulful. For example, when they met Venville they
prostitutes of Casa X.
were fascinated because he has blue eyes, something rarely seen in Tepito. With his long hair, he seemed
After Venville returned to England I asked him what
strange to them and they called him “El Mechudo”,
he thought. “They haunt me” he said, “they are the
the Mop.
embodiment of pain, of hell, of continual purgatorial
Casa X is a seventeenth century colonial house with
nightmares and unabated rape.” The phenomenon of
balconies and a fountain, painted red in the Mexican
prostitution is ancient and universal. It has complex
style. It is remarkable to find such a beautiful edifice
layers of interpretation, as does this publication –
surrounded by stalls selling pornography, exotic
whether it is artistic or anthropological, that is left to
wildlife, firearms and temples to la Santa Muerte. In
the reader. Perhaps it is best not to catalogue it but
a temporary studio set up in one of the rooms, the
open it at random and be surprised.
women arrived on time for the shoot, some wearing their finest clothes. The original plan was that they would pose dressed so it took me by surprise that they agreed to the photographer’s suggestion that they undress in front the camera, except for Aurelia who does not remove her clothes, not even for bathing.
Donations to House Xochiquetzal can be made to:
The Women of Casa X posed with dignity and
Mujeres, Xochiquetzal En Lucha Por Su Dignidad, A.C.
Genoveva was happy when viewing a polaroid
Bank: SANTANDER
because it was the first time she had seen herself
SWIFT/BIC Code: BMSXMXMM
portrayed in a photograph. “It is a feeling difficult to
Plaza Universidad, Universidad No. 1000
describe but the women were at once heartbreaking,
03340 Mexico City
funny, indifferent and emotionally cold.” Venville said
Account Number: 65503635422
when the first day’s session finished.
Clabe Interbancaria: 014180655036354227
6
Carmen Muñoz >
I’ve been screwing things up all my life and the only
he’s a demonic being, just look at all these scars. He
reason I talk about the stupid things I’ve done is
would tie a rope around my neck and pull on it until
because I’m trying to get past them. I was born here in
I fell, he’d make me lick his feet, he sliced me open
Mexico City. I’m the fourth of twenty-one children with
with a knife and broke my shins. When I was seven
a father and mother who stayed together always. Even
months pregnant he kicked me and broke my jaw.
though I never lacked for anything economically I was
He raped me as soon as I had given birth to my
sad and isolated as a girl.
children, all I could do was swallow my own blood.
When I was eleven, some guy started talking to me
When I was about to turn twelve years old, I asked one
as I was getting out of school and he bought me an
of his sisters: “How are babies born because they say
ice-cream. I told him no because I wasn’t allowed to
I’m going to have one?” “Well the same way you ate
have friends. He told me he was going to introduce
it, you idiot!” I started sobbing and sobbing. “They
me to his mom and his sister and I thought it would
said I ate a baby and I swear I never ate a baby.” The
be interesting to talk to someone, although I was
worst sin of all is ignorance but then I was only a little
scared my parents would beat me. He took me by
girl. After I had my first child I went back home to
bus to the shanty town of Satuyac (Atoyac) in the
my mother but she told me “Your place is with your
Federal District, and there were only cardboard and
husband.” That’s when I understood that I had to fight
corrugated metal shacks there. He was twenty-two,
for myself.
a vagrant without a job or a living and he lived in a
While he was wasting time in the pulquerías, I was
big ramshackle house. He locked me in and wanted to
looking for work on the street. People with good
touch me. I got scared and screamed, but neither his
intentions gave me food and clothing and taught me
mother nor his eight sisters paid any attention.
to work. A priest told me that the priest at Loreto
He hit me till I passed out and he raped me. “If
needed someone to clean the church. I got there early
you say anything, I’ll kill you and then I’ll kill your
and waited for him in the garden. The priest arrived at
brothers and sisters and your parents.” He beat me
six in the afternoon. “Do you see any signs advertising
up and raped me over and over. A couple of weeks
for a cleaning lady? I don’t need you here. Go look
later I started bleeding badly, and his parents sent
somewhere else.” I was behind on the electricity bill,
me back home to my parents. I told them what had
the water bill, property tax and a year’s rent. I was
happened to me and all my dad could say was “You
going to be evicted and I had to give the baby water
have to get married.”
from a fountain because I couldn’t afford milk.
They thought that would solve everything but they
I started to cry. A woman came up to me. “Why are
left me in the hands of a psychopath and my torment
you blubbering?” “I came to see if the father would
was just getting started. That man, no, he’s not a man,
give me work and he wouldn’t. I have to feed the kids
Carmen Muñoz >
8
and I don’t even have enough money to get home.”
I socked away more money than I had ever seen in
“That’s what happens to you for being such an idiot.
my life and I bought food for my children. When
Men have been offering you up to a thousand pesos
I saw the joy on their little faces and how they
all day long and you don’t want to go with them.”
gobbled it down, I said to myself “Fuck the world
“But why would they give me a thousand pesos?”
because now I get that I’m alone.” Swallowing my
“To screw.” “What are we going to screw?” “You
tears, I understood that my hardships were over.
idiot! To go to a hotel!” “What’s a hotel?” “You don’t
I sold something that at the end of the day was mine
know that either. It’s a room!”
and mine alone, my body. People are free to do what
“Oh! To do the cleaning.” “Don’t be an idiot. You go to
they like with their bodies and I have no regrets.
the room so they can do to you whatever they did to
Thanks to the sex trade, I never gave away or killed
you when they made those brats like the one you’re
or threw away any of my children. They had food on
carrying.” “Oh no, ma’am. Not that.” “Well then you’re
the table and a roof over their heads so that no one
screwed. Fucking idiot squaw, you’d rather save the
could ever humble them.
good stuff for some son of a bitch that doesn’t even
About four years later someone told my husband
give you soap than give it up so your kids can eat.
what I was doing. He beat me badly and locked me
You’re screwed. I can’t do anything for you.”
up but I broke a window and escaped. I went back the
I cried for about five minutes then I lifted my face
next day with some coworkers and took my children
and said “You’re right.” I went over to the man who
away. He went and whined about it to my mom and
had offered me money and we went to the hotel. The
we decided to meet. I was smoking pot when I got
maid told me “I’ll take care of your girl if you like. You
there and my husband reproached me because I
shouldn’t bring her into the room.” I sat on the edge
had changed so much. “Well this is all your work,
of the bed and all I did was tremble. The man said
because I wasn’t the person I am now when you
to me “I heard what that girl said to you and people
kidnapped and raped me.” My parents demanded an
will do all kinds of things for money, especially when
explanation. “I’ll give you one, but I have to warn
it’s for their children. I don’t want to take advantage
you, you’re not going to like it.” My dad took off
of your situation. I’m going to give you the money
his belt and I said to him “I’m a prostitute.” He just
because I’m going to come back tomorrow, and
lowered his hands, and my mother stared at him with
you’ll be here and you won’t be leaving here for
reproach in her eyes. “This is the life you all made for
many years, if you manage to get yourself out of this
me, and I’m going to keep working as a prostitute as
situation. I can tell you really need it.” When I went
long as I want.”
back outside, someone offered me more money, and
With the money I earned from my work, I bought
I had nine customers the first evening.
some property and built a house but my father put
Carmen Muñoz >
the deed in my husband’s name. He wound up getting
she ignored me entirely. Her father took out a gun
what had cost me so dear. It was a real blow to
and said “I’m going to kill that slut!” My mother
realize that they preferred to take care of him rather
said to me “Have some shame.” I told them “I’m
than me, their daughter. Before they died, my parents
leaving and never coming back, so you don’t have
recognized the mistakes they had made and asked for
to feel ashamed.” The worst thing of all is that even
my forgiveness many times but I never forgave them.
knowing what he’s like, they still pay attention to
My husband started work as a doorman at a company
him and they maintain him. My children put their
and brought my eighteen-year-old son there to
father above all things. if there’s an event, he’s the
work as a salesclerk, but the only reason he did it
one in attendance. They only come to see me on
was to plan a robbery of hundreds of thousands of
the sly because he tells my sons-in-law that I want
pesos. They got caught but my son was released and
to get my grandchildren into prostitution. Oh, but
he came crying to me, saying “Dad’s going to kill
when they need money, I’m there to save the day.
himself! Please get him out of prison!” My husband
Like it or not, they’ve all lived off of me. So that’s
swore that if I bailed him out he’d go to the United
why when I die, I want to be cremated, my ashes
States. So I spent all my savings. Of course, once
scattered, it doesn’t matter where and don’t call my
he was released, he refused to leave. One time I told
children under any circumstances.
him “I’ve come up with a thousand different ways
At the prison where they put my ex-husband, I met
to kill you, I just haven’t had the nerve.” After that he
a boy who was in law school. I started going out
started pruning the branches off a tree so he could
with him and he got me pregnant. I couldn’t tell
tie me to it.
anyone that it was my husband’s child, we hadn’t
One day, all my children were at the house and he
had sexual relations in fifteen years because he
came out of my bedroom holding some condoms.
disgusted me and he invented diseases he thought
“I want to show you the tools of your mother’s trade,
I had. My pregnancy wasn’t obvious so I made up
because she’s a cheap whore in the Merced.” My
the story that someone had given me the baby. We
oldest son was the first to stand up. “I know that
registered the baby under the biological father’s
that’s how you paid our way, but you should have
name, but when he graduated, he felt more sure
just let us starve to death.” I couldn’t say a word,
of himself, started treating me badly and I left him.
I just cried. Another son said “You’re my mother first
The kid lived with me and here we made him go to
and foremost and I know that one day I’m not going
school, have a bath every day, but he wanted to go
to be able to track you down but right now I can’t
live with my ex-husband and became a good for
stand it. I’m going to the United States.” Their dad
nothing just like him, even calling him dad.
was exultant. At the wedding of one of my daughters,
A funny thing happened with Carlos. He’s very
Carmen Muñoz
10
different from the other relationships I’ve had. One
on the street but they could have charged us with
day I was in the garden of bad women and he came
pimping. I started looking around and I met the
and asked me how much I charged. I answered
photographer Maya Goded, and with her help, we
him contemptuously and he told me to go with
started by raising enough money to feed the women.
him. We got to the hotel and I was bored, reading
I would get to work at eight in the morning and they
my telenovela magazine. He tried to kiss me but
would already be waiting for me, because I bought
I stopped him with my hand “I don’t like it on the
coffee and pastries for everyone. Then I met Maya’s
mouth, it’s disgusting.” “I’ll pay you extra.” “Okay,
husband, Daniel Giménez Cacho, the actor, who then
let’s see the money.” He’s always been a street vendor
introduced me to Jesusa Rodríguez (an intellectual
here. He’d come around every day and I would hide.
and playwright). She took me to the mayor Andrés
One day he invited me out to eat. “I’m here to work,
Manuel López Obrador and he gave us the space
not to get invitations.” “You look angry.” “I have a
for Casa Xochiquetzal. A lot of people are involved
sick daughter and I need the money.” I was shocked
but there isn’t much funding. You can’t imagine how
when he pulled out a wad of bills “And if you wait
helpless I have felt and all the obstacles to getting
another hour I’ll give you the rest.” I felt really badly
these women back on their feet.
and said to him “I can’t accept it” but he came back
I’m needed here, I’m not going to abandon them and
with the rest and we went out to eat. The next day he
I’ll stay here until the last moment of my life. I feel
didn’t even look so bad to me, and that’s where it all
indebted to sex workers and I support them however
started. We decided to become a couple, we had civil
I can because my father was a pimp. Who’s to say
and religious ceremonies and then we went to Tepic
that these women that are now eighty or ninety years
for our honeymoon.
old weren’t extorted by my father so that I could eat?
About fifteen years ago I started working nights,
That’s why I’m here.
to see what really went on. One time when it was really cold out, I saw something moving under some newspapers, tarps and cardboard. I thought it was some kids but it was Raquel, Canela and another woman who has since died, all senior citizens. I thought “I’m going to do whatever it takes to at least put a roof over their heads.” There were already some shelters but they measure out their services with an eyedropper. We thought about renting an apartment for everyone who was living
CAYETANA PIÑÓN NAVA, 67
12
I used to be really happy. As a girl I never lacked for anything. I got married when I was fifteen, a month after I met a young guy who was handsome, his eyes shined and I fell in love. After I had my three daughters he started to treat me badly. He didn’t give me money for food and he didn’t work, all he wanted was sex and for me to maintain him. Well, how did I do it? I saw the girls that hung out around the Merced market so I put myself on the streets. It really scared me to take that step and I threw myself into it with my eyes closed.
My husband died when he was 22, who knows why. I kept living high and went with a lot of men. There were so many and all so different, I can barely remember them now. I’d tell them all, “Hurry up, because I need to see my daughters” and they’d understand. I went to live with my daughters and I helped them keep house. There was always someone to tell them this or that about me and they’d say to me “Mom, you’re out there doing bad stuff and we don’t want you here,” and they started to treat me bad. They think I did it because I wanted to but how else was I going to keep them fed? I haven’t seen or heard from them for about four years. They don’t try to find me and I don’t try to find them, what would be the point? It’s just pure humiliation and not even crying helps. The only thing I hope for in life is that my daughters will make contact with me again.
ELENA PINTO CANTORAL, 63 (aka Mary Carmen Salazar, Mary Carmen Martínez, Mary Carmen González, Elena Calderón)
14
Happy is when you’ve forgotten your life story.
20 pesos. I felt proud, even though it was for being
When I was young I was pretty and full of life. Then
a whore because I was successful.
a neighbor tied my hands and feet up and raped me.
When I’ve got a few extra bucks I go to Veracruz and
I was 14 and I got pregnant from that rape. I was poor
I buy myself a coconut and throw in a little gin and
so I gave her away to this lady but when my mother
ice, and sit back. Maybe some crab soup with shrimp,
found out she had a granddaughter she got her back
iguana, monkey, sea turtle, venison, armadillo or
and raised her. I came to Mexico City 45 years ago,
lizard.
hitchhiking all the way, without telling anyone what
My kids and grandkids make me happiest. If I get
I was doing. My family gave me up for dead.That’s
sick, they bring me a glass of water. What more do
how my story began.
you want from life? It embarrasses me that my family might find out what I do. They’d sure give me hell for
I hooked up with this man and we had six kids. My mother-in-law started saying I was street trash and they both treated me like a dog. So many beatings, so many insults... when he’d come home stinking drunk, he’d throw me out on the streets and guess what? I didn’t have a single peso so I went to the Cathedral and I implored Jesus “Lord, I don’t know anyone here, I don’t know how to steal, I’m ashamed to ask for handouts, give me your blessing so I can feed my children.” On the way out an older man said to me “What are you doing around here, little girl? What’s wrong, have you eaten? Let me get you something.” He didn’t want anything from me, he just gave me 300 pesos and that was a lot of money back then. He bought me clothes, a bag full of groceries and three pairs of shoes for my kids.That’s how I started getting involved with men. I’d get to the Zócalo at noon and I’d hike my dress up to here, I was curvy and leggy. I’d turn four or five tricks and in those days they’d give me 15 or
it. I still turn tricks. Why should I deny it?