breadwinner

"Up to 300 women work during the peak harvesting season. Many are sole breadwinners who can now take care of their families," she says.

He pointed out that Minguela didn’t have a criminal record and was gainfully employed, the primary breadwinner for his family.

Minguela’s lawyer, Alex Galvez, said the hope is that his client will be released on bond, as he initially entered the country lawfully and is the primary breadwinner for the family.

Generations of gender inequality, limited education, and restricted employment have left many women financially dependent on male breadwinners, reinforcing a cycle where survival often hinges on male relatives.

But for people such as Rodriguez — a sole breadwinner living in a rent-controlled apartment — it’s just another stressor compounding an already grim financial reality.