REALLY?
Returning
home, having a roof above your head, feeling comfortable and safe….You know that
you have a place to sleep night after night don´t you?
Many of us
complain about unimportant things everyday without realizing that our problems
are just peanuts when compared to the homeless! Have you experienced the
feeling of not knowing where to sleep at night..? If you have you may remember
the feeling of insecurity, psychological stress and pressure to find a safe
place. The night has probably not been very pleasant. Being awake all night to
protect your belongings and yourself… Afraid of every noise near you…
Everyone
would like to enjoy a cozy bed but the reality is totally different!
Which bed would you prefer?
Many
homeless people are sleeping on the streets of our cities every night. Without a
pillow, without a roof above their head and without feeling secure.
Women
across Victoria are forced out of their home due to violence, not because they
are hopeless but because they live in fear for themselves and their children.
Do you think they are any safer on the street, or moving from place to place
without security?
Sleeping on
the streets eliminates the physical boundaries that protect each of us at night.
No house and no room results in new dangers for these women; anyone can gain direct
access to the women’s “bed” on the street or their possessions in a
shelter.
The fact
that many women experience violence on the street is ironic when we consider
the causes for homelessness of these women.
The main cause for homelessness among women is domestic violence.
But it’s
not just violence. 40 % of the homeless
population is women. Older single women are becoming homeless due to a range of
reasons:
- forced out of the workforce early
- insufficient superannuation/savings to fund the costs of living
- discrimination in the housing market
- the death of an income earning spouse, serious illness and separation/divorce.
These are
all points that any women can face, and unfortunately, unlike the fortunate of
us, many of these women do not have someone they can turn to for support.
Everyone
needs a safe place to sleep regardless of being male or female. Many
initiatives have already been taken but as you have read, people are still sleeping
without a permanent roof above their head. Current resources are exhausted, what is
offered is not enough!
Jana
Jana
I never really thought about the problems women can face on the street. It is ironice that domestic violence is reimbursed by violence on the street. Feeling safe at night is such a natural thing for many people. How can homefulness help these women and how can we make people more aware of the fact that not everyone has a cozy bed tonight?
ReplyDeleteHey Jones
ReplyDeleteOne initiative which creates awareness is shown in the blog above. The road sign "Homeless sleeping quiet" makes people more aware of the problem. This signs were created in Toronto by the student Mark Daye. Do you think the government should take the initiative and promote projects like that one?
Homefulness supports homelessness organisations which are focusing on many aspects of the problems people are facing on the street. I think that providing more shelters can give women better safety especially at night.
I believe that types of signs like the one you mention will create more awareness. I also believe that the government should help organisations with more funding to create more awareness, and through that make it easier to get people to donate and help the people in need. Is there a reason that the current shelters doesn't work as they should?
ReplyDeleteThe main problem is that there are not enough shelters and the existing shelters need as much support as possible.
ReplyDeleteI germany a major problem in shelters has been that people did not want to sleep there because other homeless people were stealing their belongings.Another problem is that alcohol and drug abuse is not tolerated in many shelters.