Descent to Hell

Descent to Hell

Every year more and more people in Europe become homeless, especially after the financial crisis of 2008. Our western societies have never been so rich, but income disparities also have risen very fast. The lower classes have it difficult. More and more end up in the street. Once in there, it is very difficult to get out. They search everywhere for a place to sleep, for some proteccion and intimacy. Under bridges, in parks, in bancs, squads, woods, abandoned galleries. Without shelter. Unprotected. Always in danger of violence and theft. The whole night. It is a slow psycho-descent into hell.

Denis, a social worker of Samu Social, with whom I went out a couple of times, gave me the title when we were driving around at night: 'Descent to hell', he told me, 'that's what it means to be homeless. First becoming homeless due to a combination of some problems, slowly losing friends, than the shame to knock on the door of a social organization, the descent of self esteem, the violence of the streets at night, the growing loneliness. The slow closure towards the outside world and the closure of the outside world, the fear and alcoholism all blend together in a descent to hell'.

Lola the nurse told me that she twice unwrapped a bandage and white little animals were roaming around in the wounds. The old man hadn't taken of his shoes for almost a year. The stockings of the man were grown into the flesh. We all want to think we will never become homeless. Many social workers tell from their experience that it can arrive to anybody. That may be true and it is a wise lesson, but you have much more chances when your earnings are at the lower side or when you had a rough childhood.

Descent to Hell is a continuing body of work.