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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/lilzcurry on 2023-08-25 14:27:13.
I’ve been living in a women’s shelter for a some time now and it has good and some challenging experiences. On the positive side, you have a roof over your head, no bills to pay yet there is food and water. Sometimes food can be very cold, but its better than nothing and if it doesn’t suit you can buy something outside if you have the money. It is like a dorm and there is electricity to charge your phone, a tv in the main room and hot water if the showers mysteriously start working again. There are adorable kids who can just lift up your moods, and also very friendly women. You also get to rethink of your life and the past, forgive yourself, heal and move on. There is strong support system, you can connect with other women and tou will always have someone you can talk to, which is really nice.
On the other side, forget about personal space there is no privacy because the place is overcrowded. It can also get noisy with several children crying at night and also some women having random fights. Mornings might be very stuffy and uncomfortable, because of hygiene issues, but the air gets fresher after cleaning up. Food is not good sometimes and there is also petty theft so you have to be careful with your personal items. There are also cliques and some women will make you feel you don’t belong there coz you haven’t gone through what they’ve been through. Most women are victims of abuse and I got in because I was almost homeless. If you get really emotional you might find yourself crying all day if you start listening to other women’s stories.
There’s really no shame in staying at a women’s shelter. Being healthy and safe should always be a priority. Also we might all have different experiences when it comes to living in a shelter depending on where we come from and the resources available. So when people suggest looking for a shelter, you should consider it.