Photo by Mat Amp Instagram @matamp67   

Please note: this report talks about sexual abuse

 

 

 

 

In this report guest reporter GG talks about the incredible lack of consideration given to the numerous issues faced by women experiencing homelessness.

Hello, I’m going to talk a bit about being a woman and having experience of homelessness and then after your street homeless, then you’re in unsafe housing and how that affects you. The building can affect your mental health, the location can be unsafe for you, your landlord can be predatory and like the fact that you are vulnerable and isolated.

I’ve had landlords ask for sexual favours. I’ve had landlords letting themselves in without asking. I’ve had landlords let workmen in without letting me know first. I’ve had landlords refuse to do repairs and act aggressive when I’ve tried to request repairs.

Homelessness and having unsafe housing for women is a long term thing. It’s really hard for women who’ve got experience of domestic violence to have the strength to speak up for their rights because if you’re dealing with trauma you’re always afraid that someone could turn aggressive. I’ve had many, many homes where I have just walked the streets all day long, libraries, cafes, hang around pound shops. I didn’t feel safe at home. I didn’t want to go home.

The noise in my head from my mental health meant home was not a sanctuary, was not a safe place. So for women in homelessness there are many different issues to consider. Women need to have safe, secure housing, they need really good access to public transport, they need easy access to shops to be able to get medication, they need to be close to schools and nurseries where maybe they need to take their children.  [There is a} need also to consider who are their neighbours, who are they being housed with? What is the hostel or the multi pool occupant building? Who else is in there ?  Is it a safe place for them? And why not? Why are women’s needs not considered when it often means that even if you come out of homelessness, you can go back into it? Or, as often, many women jump into bed with someone who seems to offer safety of home.

I sound flippant of what I say, but everything I’m talking about is from personal experience.