1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Previously on WiDi in House. 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 2: There he is hope you can come out of it. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: Then I was resilient, tenacity. I didn't give up, even 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,080 Speaker 2: though people say, you're never gonna be this, You're never 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: gonna be that, even your own family. You're gonna always 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 2: be down. Once a drug addict, always a drug addict. 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: And again I fell. I feel I fell. 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: And it just seemed like everything that everybody said, You're 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 2: gonna always be a homeless You're gonna always ain't. Nobody 10 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 2: gonna do this and this and that and this and that. 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: And here I am to prove I'm wrong, that I'm here, 12 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: and I'm alive, and I'm living in Germany with a 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: wonderful life and just thank God that I'm here. 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 3: Welcome back to weed the in House. I'm your host, 15 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 3: Theo Henderson. We have a lot to cover this week, 16 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 3: and most of it is going to be alarming, but 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 3: I feel a duty to inform our listeners about the 18 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 3: impending struggles that unhoused people are going to face in 19 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 3: the months to come. Let's get into unhoused news. Our 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 3: first story begins in Los Angeles, California, with the public 21 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 3: announcement a council Person Unices Hernandez running for re election. 22 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 3: She has received big endorsements from Councilperson Nitthi Oraman, council 23 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 3: Person Hugo Soda Maya Controller Kenneth Mahea, and Councilperson Harris 24 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 3: Marquise Thawson. It is important to note that her council 25 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 3: district has the second highest rate of displacement of unhoused people, 26 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 3: most notably MacArthur Park and Chinatown. 27 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: Moving on. 28 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,559 Speaker 3: On Tuesday, May thirteenth, twenty twenty five, Republicans are meeting 29 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 3: and planning to get rid of Medicaid and SNAP benefits 30 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 3: in order to give tax breaks to billionaires. For outsiders 31 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 3: who are unaware of how important SNAP Benefits and Medicaid 32 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 3: is for the unhoused community, it is essential for them 33 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 3: to feed themselves as best they can. Where the price 34 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 3: of eggs is astronomical. As you can imagine, the unhouse 35 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 3: are going to need assistant to offset these increasing grossery 36 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 3: costs for a single person. An unhoused person can receive 37 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 3: one hundred and ninety four dollars a month for SNAP 38 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 3: benefits and general relief two hundred twenty one dollars not 39 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 3: receiving those funds can portend chaos and calamity for vulnerable 40 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 3: people that are in dire need of that support. As 41 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 3: for medicaid, many unhoused people suffer from illnesses and disabilities, 42 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 3: and if they are unable to have their expenses covered, 43 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 3: this could cause fervor medical crises. Moving on, due to 44 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 3: the Los Angeles budget crisis, the Care Plus program, which 45 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 3: is a glorified title for sweeping the unhoused with increased 46 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 3: police presence, is expected to be decreased due to further 47 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 3: financial trouble. It is no surprise that LASA, the Los 48 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 3: Angeles Homeless Service Authority, and the Los Angeles Sanitation Department 49 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 3: have spoken against these budgetary constraints. BABO state that the 50 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 3: Unhouse will fall through the cracks. The delays will also 51 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,839 Speaker 3: prevent the und House to be document ready and will 52 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 3: delay city Council's outreach request. Our next story, Governor Newsom 53 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: is putting pressure on California cities with admonitions such as 54 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 3: there are no more excuses. Governor Newsom is pushing for 55 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 3: more bands of unhoused survival means such as tent camps 56 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 3: on sidewalks, bike paths, and other types of public property. 57 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 3: The governor has created a template to outlaw encampments and 58 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 3: remove existing ones. And our last story. More than three 59 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 3: hundred thousand people in America live in permanent support of housing. 60 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 3: Many are chronically unhoused, veterans and disabled. President Trump's plans 61 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 3: are to increase funds to emergency shelters, but in the 62 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 3: aid to permanent housing, this will force evictions for vose 63 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 3: it currently helps. One particular programming will affect is the 64 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 3: Continuum of Care program and housing opportunities for persons with AIDS. 65 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 3: The proposal aims to cut five hundred and thirty two 66 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 3: million dollars. When we come back, we will continue on 67 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 3: Housed News and synthesize what these stories mean and then 68 00:04:53,040 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 3: speak with our first international guests. Welcome back to Weedy 69 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 3: in House. I'm THEO Henderson. As you heard in un 70 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,679 Speaker 3: Housed News, things are not looking good for the unhoused 71 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: community and anyone that is suffering from housing insecurity or 72 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 3: food insecurity, or is teetering between houselessness and medical crisis. 73 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 3: I want to point out in particular how this cascade 74 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 3: of events can result in an explosion of houselessness. 75 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: Too often. 76 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 3: Our state, city and government leaders have been leading the 77 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 3: conversation that unhoused people implied are not are resistant to services, 78 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 3: abuse substances, and have mental challenges that prevent them from 79 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 3: receiving services. What has unfortunately become a byproduct of understanding 80 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 3: the matter has been news outlets advancing this narrative. Can 81 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 3: it difficult to break through the wall of ignorance. The 82 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 3: truth of the matter is that houselessness is affecting people 83 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 3: due to policies our government leaders are using the cause 84 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 3: more houselessness. Let's look no further than President Trump's recent 85 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 3: aim to end support of housing for unhoused people, in 86 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 3: addition to comments from Governor Newsom in California becoming much 87 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: more punitive against unhoused people. 88 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: It trickles down to. 89 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: City council leaders like the DSA indoors Unites Hernandez, who 90 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 3: has the second largest rate of sweeps of unhoused people 91 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 3: in Los Angeles. The main idea is to alert our 92 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 3: listeners that progressives and the right wings are in total 93 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 3: blockstep in addressing the unhoused crisis by punishment and criminalization. 94 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 3: There is no variation in the way that unhoused people 95 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 3: are treated by them. As you just heard in simpler terms, Suppose, 96 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 3: if you will, an unhoused person has received a notice 97 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 3: that their SNAP benefits have been reduced or eradicated. They 98 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 3: are now forced with an immediate survival quandary to find food. 99 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 3: Let's add to that that they have medical conditions that 100 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 3: they cannot eat certain foods because it will cause medical complications. 101 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 3: After that, in order to recuperate, they go to a 102 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 3: park to lie down in their tenth But now, thanks 103 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 3: to Governor Newsom, a democratic governor, cities such as Presdo 104 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 3: and Los Angeles are being pushed to arrest persons through 105 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 3: policies like forty one eighteen and the Grant's passed Supreme 106 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: Court decision. As a side notes, suppose this person was 107 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 3: in Tennessee, where it is a six year felony to 108 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 3: be unhoused on public land. By some miracle, they meet 109 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 3: a case manager that's trying to help them get out 110 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: of houselessness, but there's only funding for emergency shelters and 111 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 3: not permitive support of houses. Thanks to President Donald Trump, 112 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 3: I ask of my listeners what options do the unhoused have? 113 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 3: In some these are very dark times for poor people 114 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: and particularly unhoused people. The question is how bad is 115 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 3: it going to get before more people speak out against 116 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 3: these injustices and net is un housed news. And now 117 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 3: a little bit about our guest today. I feel honored 118 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: to have Grantor, who is in house in the UK, 119 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 3: come onto our show as our first international guest. She 120 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 3: was brave and assistant to be on this show. After 121 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 3: hearing the stories on William Howes of residents in this country, 122 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 3: I felt it was necessary for us to know her 123 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 3: struggles of houselessness as well as other struggles she faced overseas. 124 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: Without further ado, here's our guest, Greta. I am excited 125 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 3: for our new guest. It has been my hope to 126 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 3: reach out across the pond or across the country to 127 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 3: meet other people that have experienced a displacement houselessness in 128 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: their prospective area. 129 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: Today we have. 130 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 3: A new one and we're going to have them introduce 131 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 3: themselves and we're going to get their story, and I 132 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 3: think their story is really important and I really am 133 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 3: so honored that they decided to come on the show 134 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 3: and talk to us a little bit. So, without further ado, 135 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 3: please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about 136 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 3: how did you get in the spiral of houselessness. 137 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 4: Hello. Hi, my name is Greta. I'm speaking to you 138 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 4: from London, England. I'm Bautier and I have experienced all 139 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 4: different types of homelessness, unfortunately street homelessness, so for surfing, 140 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 4: women's refuge, all kinds, and I've been homeless in many 141 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 4: different countries as well. So I have complex mental health 142 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 4: and I've also gone through a lot of domestic violence, 143 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 4: and I think there's very often like a triangle of 144 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 4: mental health, domestic violence and homelessness that go together. The 145 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 4: way that I've first became homeless was due to my 146 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 4: mental health and domestic violence that was going on in 147 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 4: the home and with my children. My children were removed 148 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 4: in the courts for two charges, so there was no 149 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 4: charge of neglect or care on my part. In fact, 150 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 4: the opposite The charge was the children witnessing the abuse 151 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 4: happening to me, which I absolutely agree that is terrible 152 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 4: and I stand by that decision. The second one I 153 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,239 Speaker 4: was charged was something called parental alienation. 154 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:54,839 Speaker 1: What's that? 155 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 4: So if you report domestic violence but you're mentally unwell, 156 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 4: you are then charged with parentalization that you were trying 157 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 4: to turn the children against the father. 158 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 3: So the person is abusing you, and if you file 159 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,319 Speaker 3: a report you get punished for it. 160 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: That's what it sounds like. 161 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 4: Correct, correct, And it was actually debunked officially from the 162 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 4: British courts in December twenty twenty four. It was in 163 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 4: the British courts for about ten years. 164 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. 165 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 4: And it's basically pseudo science. You know your because your 166 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 4: mental health is official, so your mental health is their defense. 167 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 4: Don't believe her, she's crazy. You know, your mental health, 168 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 4: which was possibly there before you met the perpetrator, but 169 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 4: certainly the abuse made it worse. So I was in 170 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 4: receipt of government benefits which paid my rent on my 171 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 4: private rented accommodation with my children, and that was immediately 172 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 4: removed and I had no grounds to any further help 173 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 4: as a single adult. So although I was deemed so 174 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 4: mentally ill I can't look after my children, I then 175 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 4: would make an application saying I'm vulnerable, I need help, 176 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 4: and that was just completely dismissed. Originally the children were 177 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 4: placed with my parents and then sadly two of them 178 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 4: were placed with the perpetrator. But my dad actually in 179 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 4: a meeting said, you know, our daughter is homeless. You know, 180 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 4: because I was not allowed to stay with my children, 181 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 4: be in place with my parents, which is a good thing, 182 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 4: but it meant I couldn't stay with them, you know. 183 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 4: In fact, my parents had to sign a contract that 184 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 4: they would cut contact with me, so then I'm not 185 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 4: eligible for help as a single adult. And I did 186 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 4: go into the cycle that so many women and men do, 187 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 4: where I returned to the perpetrator. And at that time 188 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 4: I was really broken, distraught, you know, I had a 189 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 4: mental breakdown, and I actually thought I deserved violence, you know, 190 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 4: and I even had horrible, kind of twisted logic that 191 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 4: if I was murdered, I would be martyred. There was 192 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 4: a period of about two years where I was partly 193 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 4: sleeping on the streets. Sometimes was able to get into hostels. 194 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 4: But hostels, as you know in the UK, they're no 195 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 4: different from America that they're often very dangerous places, lots 196 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 4: of drug addiction, lots of people fresh out of prison. 197 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 4: My mental health was really really poor at this time, 198 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 4: you know, and I was found hostels quite unsafe places. 199 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 4: I actually preferred to be sleeping in the park or so. 200 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 4: I didn't have a network of friends, you know, the 201 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 4: circumstance of domestic violence after so many years, any single 202 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 4: friend you had before you met the person has either 203 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 4: been told to stay away or given up on you, 204 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 4: you know. So at that point I literally didn't know 205 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 4: anybody in the world except for my parents and my children, 206 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,719 Speaker 4: who I was not allowed contact with. Unfortunately, quite a 207 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 4: lot of my family believed the charges against me and 208 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 4: cut contact with me. So, you know, I was really 209 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 4: on my own. And eventually, after a couple of years, 210 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 4: I managed to get into a women's refuge because I 211 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 4: was still being harassed. You know, I would leave him 212 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 4: and get away, he would pull me back. I would 213 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 4: try and get help. The help was not available, and 214 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 4: they brought in a new law a few years ago 215 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 4: called coercive control actually is a criminal offense in the 216 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 4: UK now. So I was able to get help in 217 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 4: a refuge under that. But the refuge, which was run 218 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 4: by a private company, was horrible. It was really unsafe. 219 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 4: It was essentially private rent under another name. You know, 220 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 4: it's supposedly a place of safety. Each woman was charged 221 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 4: one thousand pounds a month for a room. At that time, 222 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 4: rooms went for about seven to eight hundred pounds. The 223 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 4: extra two hundred pounds was supposedly because you had a 224 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 4: support worker, a support worker who you met the day 225 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 4: you arrived and never saw again. Basically, there was fifteen 226 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 4: rooms in the building and it was all women who'd 227 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 4: gone through violence, and so everyone was quite disturbed, quite frightened, 228 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 4: quite on edge. 229 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: I was dealing with PTSD as well, huge. 230 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 4: And most of the women had their children there, you know, 231 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 4: so there would be a lot of fights among the women. 232 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 4: There would be a lot of men coming and going, 233 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 4: Supposedly they were not supposed to be there. And we 234 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 4: were charged twenty pounds a month for cleaning products as 235 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 4: part of our contract to live there. And we were like, 236 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 4: we don't need this, we you know, why do we 237 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 4: have to do it? And it was it was really 238 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 4: really suspicious. You know, there was obviously some contracts with 239 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 4: the cleaning firm, and you know, there was a lot 240 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 4: of draconian rules. You know, you didn't know your address 241 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 4: because you had taken there in secrecy. When you live 242 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 4: in a refuge, you're not allowed to know your address. 243 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 4: So you're in the process of trying to rebuild your life, 244 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 4: but you don't have an address. One night, someone actually 245 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 4: gave birth. I am a doula so I've experienced of helping. 246 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 4: Years ago. I actually volunteered with a group of homeless 247 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 4: women who were pregnant and supported them when I was housed, 248 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 4: and so I had the skills as well as being 249 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 4: my myself. I delivered a baby in the refuge. I'm 250 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 4: on the phone to the paramedics as you call them, 251 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 4: and I didn't have an address because we went allowed 252 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 4: to know the address, you know, and I basically had 253 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 4: to describe, Oh, you turned left past the apple tree 254 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 4: and there's a shop on the corner, and you know 255 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 4: how I knew where we lived. And I actually filed 256 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 4: a complaint and I said, it's really dangerous. You know. 257 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 4: The mother and baby were okay, in part thanks to 258 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 4: me being there and knowing what to do. I said, 259 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 4: surely there's exceptions that the police and they were like, no, 260 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 4: no one is ever allowed to know this address. It 261 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 4: was dangerous because of course perpetrators could come and find us. 262 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 4: You know, staff were only there nine to five. Eventually 263 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 4: I was filing papers to the government for emergency housing. Well, 264 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,959 Speaker 4: I didn't know at the time if you're in a 265 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 4: women's refuge in the UK, you were classed officially homeless. 266 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 4: Even though you have housing because it's emergency. 267 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: Housing, transition temporary. 268 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 4: Exactly, and so you are the top of the list 269 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 4: for government housing. But they didn't tell me that. So 270 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 4: I made an application and I had something. It's quite sad, 271 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 4: but it's quite important for the context when you are 272 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 4: seen at risk. They do something called MARAP meetings, which 273 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 4: is multi agency meetings, so it would involve the police, 274 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 4: social workers, doctors about vulnerable people. And they did a 275 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 4: risk because my ex husband was constantly trying to come 276 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 4: and find me. There was twenty questions. You scored one 277 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,360 Speaker 4: point for each question and the outcome decision was the 278 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 4: likelihood of this person being murdered, and I scored seventeen 279 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 4: out of twenty. 280 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: Wow. 281 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 4: But when you're homeless, a really devastating document makes you 282 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 4: happy because you think, well, now I have some really 283 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 4: good evidence I can give that will get me housing 284 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 4: and help me get back on my feet and be 285 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 4: reunited with my children, you know. And I was turned 286 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 4: down and I was told, no, you're not vulnerable at all, 287 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 4: you don't need any help. You're not entitled to any 288 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 4: help at all. You're not entitled to anything. And I 289 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 4: said the main words that the multi agency meeting used 290 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 4: about me was vulnerable. You know, this person speaking to 291 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 4: you before today is not who I was at that time. 292 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 4: I was, you know, terrified constantly, you know, understandably exactly, 293 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 4: And they said, I will always remember this. They said, 294 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 4: we have our own definition of the word vulnerable, and 295 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 4: it just was like, I can't but but I kind 296 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 4: of naivey thought that in decision making, the police saying 297 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 4: someone's vulnerable would out trump the housing officer at the 298 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 4: local council. 299 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 3: But see, it's one of the things that I think 300 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 3: we haven't comment from overseas to hear that this is 301 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 3: the belief system that the system is going to work 302 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 3: once you just become honest and tell them what is 303 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 3: going on exactly. 304 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: Because a lot of. 305 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 3: The nimbi's, a lot of the anti and house community 306 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 3: always love the tractors out there's help out there. They 307 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 3: just don't want help and they don't understand the hurdles. 308 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 3: And it sounds like you guys have your own set 309 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 3: of hurdles exactly that is giving the same results that 310 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 3: it is over here. 311 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 4: It's fascinating and they also following on from that, if 312 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 4: you do come under having multi needs so domestic violence 313 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 4: and mental health. They won't speak to each other, you know. 314 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 4: So when I would go to the doctors and ask 315 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 4: for medication and to be put on waiting this for therapy, 316 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 4: they would say I was too complex. I had this 317 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,360 Speaker 4: written all over my notes, so the doctor would referm 318 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 4: me for treatment for my complex PTSD, you know, because 319 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 4: I was having such bad nightmares, I wasn't sleeping. You know, 320 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 4: I'd gone through quite a lot of quite a lot 321 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 4: of extreme violence, sexual and physical, yes, and I was 322 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 4: ultimately left disturbed and I was not entitled to get 323 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 4: any help because I was too complicated. So, you know, 324 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 4: years on I could laugh about it sadly, but the 325 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 4: doctor made a complaint on my behalf, and it said, 326 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 4: you know, you cannot leave this woman with nothing. You know, 327 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 4: it's not a matter that she's too complicated, it's that 328 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 4: you need to find her the right help. But he 329 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 4: got no reply. Even the doctor got no reply. If 330 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 4: you are someone who's complex and you have homelessness and 331 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 4: domestic violence and mental health, you're then almost like written 332 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 4: off because it's too complicated. But then it makes you question, well, 333 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 4: who are the people that they're helping, Because anyone who's 334 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 4: vulnerable is going to be complex. 335 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 3: And it definitely deals with your meal help. Even if 336 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: you did not have the challenges that you faced. Being 337 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 3: house is a mental It takes a toll on you 338 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 3: mentally and physically. I mean I was on house over 339 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 3: eight years and I'm telling you, you always and hair's breath, 340 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 3: you're on the you know, tip toying because you never 341 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 3: know and the cops are going to raid you, or 342 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 3: you don't know if you're going to get attacked by 343 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 3: somebody out and it, or you don't know exactly if 344 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 3: you're going to have your place move Like right now, 345 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 3: we got this legislations called the Grants Pass of Ordinance 346 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 3: that is running around all across the country running up 347 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 3: on hun house people and raiding them and threatening them 348 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 3: with arrest or if they like for example, in San Jose, 349 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 3: they got a mayor saying if you refuse shelter, you're 350 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 3: going to jail. They're going to arrest you for refusing shelter. 351 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, you definitely feel like you're harassed all the time. 352 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 4: I mean, coming from a woman's perspective, is nearly all 353 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 4: of the places where you could get some food or 354 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 4: get your clothes washed will run by and used by 355 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 4: just men. So I would hear about somewhere I would 356 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 4: go because you know, you get to know there's one 357 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 4: place that's open on a Tuesday, one place on a Thursday, 358 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 4: so go. Yeah, And basically I found them as a 359 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 4: survivor of domestic violence, walking into a room full of 360 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 4: men and I met maybe those men hadn't seen a 361 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 4: woman in a long time, but you just feel all 362 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 4: these eyes on you when you walk in there, and 363 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 4: then you try to just do something like put your 364 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 4: headphones on or you fiddle with your keys or something, 365 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 4: and then there's five people talking to you, asking your name, 366 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 4: and you know, and I actually stopped going. There was 367 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 4: a period where I found it easier to not eat 368 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 4: than be harassed. 369 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 3: You know, yeah, you know I was going to on 370 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 3: that very same point, there was like I interviewed earlier 371 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 3: on in my show. 372 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: Her name was Laura. That's her fictitious name. 373 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 3: But Laura was telling me about similar, similar things, like, 374 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 3: for example, why she got a big dog because there 375 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 3: were men coming up off the street at night trying 376 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 3: to and she was fleeing domestic abuse as well, domestic violence, 377 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 3: and you know, they were trying to force themselves on it, 378 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 3: and when she started to get a bigger dog to 379 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 3: guard her and to avoid the places where a lot 380 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 3: of men were and things like that, that's just a 381 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 3: new dimension where many women have to face or they enter. 382 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,360 Speaker 3: What she was telling me too, was like a situationship 383 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 3: that you knew someone, you're not romantically linked, but you 384 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 3: connect with them in order for safety. 385 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: Reasons exactly, because if they see that. 386 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 3: You're with someone or a man that you're with, they're 387 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 3: less likely to just try to jump you or attack 388 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 3: you because you have that or a big dog. 389 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 4: So yeah, I had. There was one guy, he was 390 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 4: really tall, and he would kind of be in the 391 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 4: include place at the same time as me, and he 392 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 4: kind of offered that service. But then I found that 393 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 4: he did want something in the town, you know kind 394 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 4: of thing, So then I had to stop going around there, 395 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 4: and you know, and it's a whole other thing. 396 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 397 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 4: Also, with the PTSD, my judgment of what was safe 398 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 4: from what wasn't safe was completely skewed. I either kind 399 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 4: of saw danger everywhere or nowhere. It was like quite extreme. 400 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:20,479 Speaker 3: And then two, you know, one of the things that 401 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 3: I noticed because I got stabbed out a few years 402 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 3: ago out on the street. And the thing with it 403 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 3: is that sometimes your paranoia or your PTSD will strike 404 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,719 Speaker 3: at the most inopportune times. Absolutely, I had to really 405 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 3: relearn because like average people that I was friends with 406 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 3: will come up or maybe grab my shoulder or things 407 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,719 Speaker 3: like that, and I had to curb myself from not 408 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 3: doing a violent act or punching them or because of that. 409 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 3: It's like, because your whole equal liberty on your whole 410 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 3: mental health is out of whack because of that, and 411 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 3: you're living on the street. It doesn't make it better, 412 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 3: but it was like it really opened my eye of 413 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 3: how difficult being on house and trying to stay safe 414 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,719 Speaker 3: and stay healthy as well as stay a step ahead 415 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 3: of the law enforcement or whatever the laws that's going 416 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 3: on in the country. 417 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: Exactly in order for you to get out. 418 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 3: And two on top of that, tried to get housing, 419 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 3: which is another pain in the ass. 420 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 4: And absolutely, as you was saying at the beginning about 421 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 4: Nimby saying about if you just do this, if you 422 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 4: just do that, I've been stabbed myself and vibe the perpetrator. 423 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 4: But I had a moment of sort of clarity when 424 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 4: I escaped. I didn't care about myself. I thought, oh, 425 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 4: he's he's a really dangerous person. I'm going to go 426 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 4: straight to the police. I went straight to the police. 427 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 4: I had been stabbed twenty times, so I was bleeding 428 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 4: quite heavily, and the police like almost a cartoon Western. 429 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 4: They had their feet on the table. They were smoking, 430 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 4: they were chewing gum. I was walked in. I'm dripping blood. 431 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 4: I'm quite hysterical. I'm giving them the name and the 432 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 4: address of where he is. And I said, he's passed 433 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 4: out drunk. You go now, you know, he won't wake 434 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 4: up for another hour or two. And they refused. And 435 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 4: they just refused, and they said, no, he's in his house. 436 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 4: It's his rights. We can't do this. And I was like, 437 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 4: I was in shop, you know, I was in shock. Unfortunately, 438 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:29,400 Speaker 4: during abuse, one of the things that abuses always say 439 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,199 Speaker 4: to their victims is no one will believe you, no 440 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 4: one will listen. And when you do finally get free 441 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 4: and you do report it and you're not believed, you 442 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 4: can hear their voice in your head, you know, and 443 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 4: you just and then you try and with your housing, 444 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 4: and you don't get housing, or you're trying with your 445 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 4: help and you can't get help. And how I felt 446 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 4: at that time was that I was shrinking, and I 447 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:57,159 Speaker 4: really was, because I have very few photos from that time, 448 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 4: and I was very skinny. I only wore black clothes, 449 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 4: and I usually like color. I quite often dye my hair, 450 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 4: but I had black hair. I was actually literally disappearing. 451 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 4: I had a strong sense that nobody cared and that 452 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 4: if I disappeared, it wouldn't make any difference. But I 453 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:21,479 Speaker 4: think that's a common feeling. 454 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, yes, stay with us. We'll be back with 455 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 3: Greta after this, Prince, welcome back. This is theal Hitter 456 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 3: saying with Widian House. Let's jump back into my conversation 457 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 3: with Greta. 458 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 4: And also, I know that after you've been needing help 459 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 4: for so many years, you become absolutely brilliant at filling informs. 460 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 4: You can help other people feel informed, you know the 461 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 4: right wording to say, you know how to do the forms, 462 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 4: and you still don't succeed, you know. So my current 463 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 4: situation sort of ten years on from that time. I've 464 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 4: now got government housing, you know, it's secure and everything. 465 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 4: But I was reunited with one of my children a 466 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 4: couple of years ago, and there was an opportunity for 467 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 4: us to live together. But I needed to move because 468 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:23,959 Speaker 4: I only had one bedroom, and I went through a 469 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 4: assessment process of a year of checks and all of this. Yep, 470 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 4: you passed all the checks, and yes you're entitled. But 471 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 4: on the other hand, I'm in a list and I'm 472 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 4: positioned six hundred out of a thousand every week. 473 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: That's like our section eight. 474 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 3: Like I when I got stabbed and I had I 475 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 3: was in ICU for several months and they were helping me. 476 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 3: What they have here is called section eight and Section 477 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 3: eight is like it's a ten year waiting list. They 478 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 3: had opened it up for a lottery, so I wanted 479 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 3: a lottery to be on the list, and which is 480 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 3: still insane crazy, like Okay, why are you opening the 481 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 3: lottery so I can just stay on another ten year list, 482 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 3: Like that's not exactly helpy. If you were going to 483 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 3: open it up to get me expeditious housing, that's one thing. 484 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 3: But I was on the list to be on, which 485 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 3: like who's going to be able to survive or to last, 486 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 3: especially with the increasing criminalization of unhoused people, you know too, 487 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 3: Like they were trying to release me from the hospital 488 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 3: after the surgery, and like dude, I'm. 489 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: Out on the street. I can't clean these wounds. 490 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 3: And like I'm you know, and at the time, my 491 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 3: inside you know, out and they had to, you know, 492 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 3: to close. So I'm like, there's no way I would 493 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 3: be dead within the week because I would have kept 494 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 3: sepsis or infection and you know, and it's just like 495 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 3: they will only I will say that. They seem to 496 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 3: try to get away with as much as possible when 497 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 3: you're in a vulnerable state, if you don't speak up, 498 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 3: or if you don't make a stink. 499 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 4: Absolutely absolutely, And. 500 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 3: I can truly say that because if I had not said, 501 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,479 Speaker 3: I'm like, there's no way I can clean a wound 502 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 3: as deep as as as you open up my stomach. 503 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 3: You reattach things to be out on the street, yes, 504 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 3: to be able to clean the way you do two 505 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 3: times a day, out in the street and open air. 506 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:10,719 Speaker 3: I don't have a place where I can do this, 507 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 3: and you know this is impossible. I would need to 508 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 3: be in some kind of place of care. 509 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 4: So there was one occasion when I needed to have 510 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 4: an operation. I was in a hostel, but I was 511 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 4: not allowed to have it unless I had someone afterwards 512 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 4: because the aftercare so the only thing that I could 513 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 4: work out to do was that my mum pretended to 514 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 4: the children she was going away with some friends, but 515 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 4: into the cheapest bed and breakfast for me and her 516 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 4: for one night, so that she could sign the papers 517 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 4: with me for the afterwards I would be allowed to 518 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 4: come out. She stayed with me for one night and 519 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 4: then she had to leave, you know. But then I 520 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 4: was as soon as she went, I was back to 521 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 4: the hostel in a dormitory, you know, and I was 522 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 4: still post operations, still unwell, and there was people having 523 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 4: a party and singing, and I'm trying to sleep, but 524 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 4: I didn't get my rest. 525 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 3: True, I definitely understand, especially when you tried to. When 526 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 3: I'm in the hospital, you can't get any rest because 527 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 3: every two hours they're. 528 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: Waking you up for the cleaning. 529 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 3: I did your pressure, you know, all of Oh man, 530 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 3: it was I was so I was like, man, I 531 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 3: can't believe I'm laying in the bed. I am so 532 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 3: exhausted because as soon as I close my eyes, he 533 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 3: comes someone knocking on the door. I got to go 534 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 3: through physical therapy. I gotta go, I gotta do everything, 535 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 3: have thing within this place but sleep. So I so yes, 536 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 3: I agree, it's and you know, you have to go 537 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 3: into these convalescent places and they're busy with different types 538 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 3: of people and their personalities and it's not always the 539 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 3: safe and so it's or it becomes so traconian. Yeah, 540 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 3: and it's like I got to get out of here, 541 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 3: you know, get get cabin fevers. 542 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 4: So and there's a lot now we have a lot 543 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 4: of institutions being privatized more and more. So like for example, 544 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 4: my daughter who to care, she was in private puster care. 545 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 4: Now she was with someone nice, she's happy, you know, 546 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 4: she visits see her a lot. But ultimately, if you 547 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 4: look at the system in black and white, there isn't 548 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 4: the funding for us to live together, but there's the 549 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 4: funding for three times as much money to pay someone privately. 550 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 4: You know. 551 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: That's crazy, that's crazy. 552 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, you mentioned you were and housing other places, you know, 553 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 3: and obviously you know some of the common thread was 554 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 3: dealing with the domestic violence things. How did those things 555 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 3: come about when you were in other places? What was 556 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 3: going on there? 557 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 2: So? 558 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 4: Well, it was the symptom of my mental health that 559 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 4: when I would become unwell, I would want to run away. 560 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 4: And you know, you got someone new, So I would 561 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 4: kind of run away to France or somewhere, and I 562 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 4: would do a scheme where you do like some cleaning 563 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 4: in exchange for a bed and some food, and I'd 564 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 4: kind of do that for like a week or two 565 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 4: and then move on to somewhere else. But I was 566 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 4: doing it with a violent person, so you know, there'd 567 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 4: be moments of peace for sort of a few days, 568 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 4: and then there would be a violent incident and I 569 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 4: would run away. But I was in a hundred times 570 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,680 Speaker 4: worse than before because now I'm somewhere where they don't 571 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 4: speak English, I don't have any money, you know, and 572 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 4: I'm in a worse situation. And sometimes some of the 573 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 4: places where he spoke the language and I didn't, so 574 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 4: I would go and use some broken Spanish or something, 575 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 4: you know, to the police and he would come along 576 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,359 Speaker 4: and say, oh, she's you know, crazy, you. 577 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: Know kind of thing. 578 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 4: So, you know, I mean, I don't really want to 579 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 4: say I made things worse for myself, because it's at 580 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,800 Speaker 4: a time that I was really really unwell, but I 581 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 4: definitely did not help myself, you know kind of thing. 582 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 4: But I felt that I wanted to stay away from England, 583 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,839 Speaker 4: where my children were I kind of I had an 584 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 4: idea that I could kind of cure my heart break, 585 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,720 Speaker 4: you know, but I was allowed to write them letters, 586 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 4: and I wrote these fantasy letters because I didn't want 587 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 4: them to know the truth. So I would say I'm 588 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 4: in the circus, or you know, I'm traveling the world 589 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 4: doing this, and I would do sort of like illustrations 590 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 4: and things. And then eventually the violence, as very often happens, 591 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 4: got increasingly worse and worse, and I was on several 592 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 4: times almost getting killed but not quite. I basically had 593 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 4: to sort of wake up call after the second time 594 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 4: I got stabbed by him, and I realized what he 595 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:41,719 Speaker 4: was going to do was drive me crazy and then 596 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 4: I would never see my children again. So I kind 597 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 4: of had a wake up call. I had ten euros, 598 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 4: which I think is about fifteen dollars, and I took 599 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 4: a bus from Paris to London with the clothes on 600 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:01,640 Speaker 4: my back. And when the the bus had a break 601 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:05,280 Speaker 4: in Belgium, and we stopped outside of bat Sea Hotel 602 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 4: and I combed my hair down, went in and sat 603 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 4: down and had breakfast and walked out, you know, the 604 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 4: buffet breakfast, one of the old tricks, and I just 605 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 4: started my life again, you know. And that was when 606 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 4: I was able to get into the women's refuge and 607 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 4: you know things. And then I went on a long 608 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 4: journey of private rented accommodation, which I really wish there 609 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 4: was more understanding of women coming out of refugees not 610 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 4: being entitled to any supported accommodation as a single female. 611 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 4: A lot of landlords. I have had, multiple landlords asked 612 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,319 Speaker 4: me for services in exchange to reduce the. 613 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 1: Rent, or like sexual services. 614 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 4: Yes, yes, if I needed something fixed, they would, you know, 615 00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 4: kind of thing. So you know, I was able to 616 00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:02,760 Speaker 4: just kind of firmly say no and kind of hold 617 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 4: my own. But I then felt really uncomfortable living there, 618 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 4: and that's my landlord, you know. And I was in 619 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:12,440 Speaker 4: that situation for about eight years, and then I was 620 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 4: finally able to get onto government housing, which I'm in now. 621 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 4: But of course you have the positive of your rent 622 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 4: is affordable and your tendency is secure, but the condition 623 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:28,720 Speaker 4: of your housing. 624 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,360 Speaker 1: Is quite poor. I can relate to that. 625 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 4: There's a trade. There's a trade, you know. Asking for 626 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 4: things to be repaired is a joke, you know kind 627 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 4: of thing. So I'm on a wait list to get moved, 628 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 4: you know, to two bedroom. So I have my children 629 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:47,359 Speaker 4: come and visit at the weekends, you know, but they're 630 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 4: on the sofa, you know. 631 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:51,920 Speaker 3: Well, it's good that you have a reunification thing. How 632 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:52,680 Speaker 3: did that come about? 633 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 4: Yes, So I've got four children, two of them I 634 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:02,200 Speaker 4: was reunited by Social Service. Is basically they looked at 635 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 4: the case again and said, you were not the problem. 636 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 4: The problem was around you. Now that's been removed to you, 637 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 4: and that was really good. And one of my children, unfortunately, 638 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 4: she was abused herself, so that was the reunification with 639 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 4: her and one of my other children I'm still waiting for. 640 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,080 Speaker 4: So you know, he's in my we write letters. So 641 00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 4: there's that, you know. 642 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 3: And I was going to ask the abuser is he 643 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:35,719 Speaker 3: in jail or what's going on with him? 644 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: Are you? How are you able to put distance from them? 645 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 4: So there's two different men, there's two different abusers. One 646 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:47,799 Speaker 4: of them has never been charged with anything, both myself 647 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:52,040 Speaker 4: and other women he's been arrested for, but always after 648 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,919 Speaker 4: twenty four hours let go. And the other one was 649 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 4: jailed for a short time, for a very short time, 650 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:05,440 Speaker 4: and then he was But there's no danger anymore. They're 651 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 4: absolutely gone. But yeah, I think I had to do 652 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:13,400 Speaker 4: a lot of and still am doing a lot of 653 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 4: ongoing therapy because I was always told in the court 654 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 4: that it never happened, and that I, you know, this thing, 655 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 4: that I made it up, and that you know, kind 656 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 4: of things. So and obviously, as I said, because I 657 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:28,759 Speaker 4: got stabbed, I had literal scars on my body as 658 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:32,799 Speaker 4: well as the scars in my mind. Although being amongst 659 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 4: other women who've gone through some of the things I've 660 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,480 Speaker 4: gone through is always very sad, I did actually find 661 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 4: it a kind of twisted comfort in meeting other people, 662 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 4: because you know, it's not just you, you know, Yeah, 663 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 4: And also then seeing other people's success stories, you know, 664 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 4: when they get their first flat and they invite you 665 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:58,440 Speaker 4: around and you celebrate with them, and you know, and 666 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:03,680 Speaker 4: people who've had live taken from them are really grateful 667 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 4: for a nice new mug that's got a picture of 668 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 4: a cat on or you know, sense of normalcy exactly exactly. 669 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: Well. 670 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:15,960 Speaker 3: I also I wanted to ask, because I'm getting people 671 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:19,239 Speaker 3: from overseas, like I got a fan that's over from 672 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:21,719 Speaker 3: the Netherlands, how did you hear about Weedian House? 673 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:22,320 Speaker 1: Because Weedian. 674 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:26,080 Speaker 3: Howse is you know really what I've been doing the 675 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 3: show across the country. I started off where I was 676 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 3: living out on the streets. So how did you hear 677 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 3: about it? 678 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:34,080 Speaker 4: I'm trying to think. 679 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:34,319 Speaker 2: So. 680 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,439 Speaker 4: I think there's a podcast that I really love called 681 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 4: ear Hustle, and I think on one of their advert 682 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 4: breaks there was an advert for Weedly on house. 683 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 1: Ah, Okay, okay, that's good here. 684 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 4: I think, so. Yeah, And I think, I mean, I 685 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:54,880 Speaker 4: find the whole I don't know what's called it, subject 686 00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:59,160 Speaker 4: area of houses, you know, really really interesting because I 687 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:02,120 Speaker 4: think it's so autumn, and I think you often find 688 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:06,080 Speaker 4: like like the things like the spikes they put down 689 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 4: they're doing architectures, yeah, and that they're doing it all 690 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:12,799 Speaker 4: over the world, you know. So I think, coming from 691 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:16,719 Speaker 4: a British perspective, I'm very mindful when everyone always wants 692 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 4: to point the finger at America because obviously under Trump 693 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 4: it's really really bad. But I think it's quite a 694 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:27,719 Speaker 4: dangerous game because it makes other countries get away with it, 695 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:31,640 Speaker 4: you know, like we have police brutality here, we have 696 00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:34,799 Speaker 4: all the kind of terrible things go on here, you know, 697 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:38,240 Speaker 4: and many people might say we're the ones who taught 698 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 4: America were you know, all the worst things. Yes, So 699 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:48,240 Speaker 4: I think it's quite important to be aware of what's 700 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 4: going on. But also I really love the podcast because 701 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,480 Speaker 4: I find there's actually quite a lot of joy in 702 00:41:55,520 --> 00:41:59,919 Speaker 4: your interviews. Yeah, and I think, you know, like there's 703 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:02,680 Speaker 4: a lot of raw honesty, but I think you know 704 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:06,840 Speaker 4: people are they'll pet in the story a moment of 705 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:10,680 Speaker 4: happiness and some kindness or something, and usually someone else 706 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:11,480 Speaker 4: who's in housed. 707 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,279 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, yes is the kindness. 708 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:18,200 Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, And I try to get much diverse people 709 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 3: that are living on the streets in different situations, because 710 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:27,279 Speaker 3: one person's houselessness story is very different than another's, and 711 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:30,440 Speaker 3: I really wanted to uplift that, and I'm really glad 712 00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 3: to hear that. 713 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 1: You hopefully get. 714 00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,000 Speaker 3: More people to out over there and over there to 715 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:38,560 Speaker 3: hear it as well, to show the common link, because 716 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:40,680 Speaker 3: this is my dream to try to do a kind 717 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:44,479 Speaker 3: of an offshoot of Overseas how Wittie in House and 718 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 3: get more stories and to show the links and you know, 719 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,839 Speaker 3: the solidarity as well, because we are going through it 720 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 3: even though Trump is president and it's horrible, I'm not 721 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:59,080 Speaker 3: disputing that, but a house we've been battered for way 722 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:03,280 Speaker 3: before he was in and with the laws, with the 723 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 3: creating you can't have in some places a pillow or 724 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:09,440 Speaker 3: a blanket out on the street. If they catch you 725 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:12,080 Speaker 3: with a pill of blanket, you can be arrested. People 726 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:15,560 Speaker 3: that are trying to feed or give a water or 727 00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:18,319 Speaker 3: feed out house people, they can be arrested in some 728 00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:22,879 Speaker 3: parts of the city. It's such a point where that now, 729 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,399 Speaker 3: like for example, in Tennessee, it is a felony that 730 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 3: you can go to prison for like six years for 731 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 3: being on housed on a public space. So that's yeah, 732 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:36,920 Speaker 3: it's and that's it's not openly talked about in i 733 00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:40,879 Speaker 3: won't say polite conversation or in general conversation. And that's 734 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:44,120 Speaker 3: why I've really been on the I won't say the 735 00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:47,920 Speaker 3: war path, but I've been on my mantle, my soapbox, 736 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:51,239 Speaker 3: to make sure that people know this is not going away. 737 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:54,320 Speaker 3: Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, 738 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:58,080 Speaker 3: and it doesn't mean that we cannot not say anything 739 00:43:58,120 --> 00:44:00,560 Speaker 3: about it. We have to speak about it because exactly, 740 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:02,880 Speaker 3: you know, we just had a big fire here in 741 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 3: Los Angeles, and then we have newly displaced people and 742 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 3: these laws are in place, They're going to be following 743 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:13,840 Speaker 3: victim to those laws because no one said anything or 744 00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:15,800 Speaker 3: no one made an effort to change these laws. 745 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:19,879 Speaker 1: So yeah, we have some laws like that there as well. 746 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:21,960 Speaker 4: I'm afraid. Yeah, it's awful. 747 00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 3: Wanted the acts. Did I miss anything, Dory, would you 748 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:26,000 Speaker 3: like to add anything? 749 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:30,839 Speaker 4: I think just that, Like, I think it is a 750 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 4: purposeful part of the system that information is not given out. 751 00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:38,799 Speaker 4: When I was when I was officially homeless in a 752 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:42,480 Speaker 4: women's refuge that I didn't know until two years later, 753 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 4: or when you someone said to me, when you're in 754 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:46,880 Speaker 4: that refuge, you were homeless, and I was like, so 755 00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:49,399 Speaker 4: I didn't put it on my phone because I didn't know. 756 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 4: And that was very purposeful. And I think that's very 757 00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:54,759 Speaker 4: much part of the system, you know, because what if 758 00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:56,239 Speaker 4: they say knowledge is power. 759 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:57,600 Speaker 1: Yes, you know, I agreed. 760 00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:00,160 Speaker 3: I'll add one more thing too, it's like two. It 761 00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:02,520 Speaker 3: also is that for me, it was like a mental 762 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:05,320 Speaker 3: shift for me to learn the realities of being in 763 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:07,560 Speaker 3: the house. I remember the first night I became a 764 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 3: house and I was so highly wired, yes, and I 765 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:14,200 Speaker 3: couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. 766 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:15,560 Speaker 1: I walked. 767 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:18,399 Speaker 3: I mean I walked so far and I walked into 768 00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:21,680 Speaker 3: my legs started hurting him my feet. That I went 769 00:45:21,719 --> 00:45:24,319 Speaker 3: to the hospital and I sat in the waiting room 770 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:29,160 Speaker 3: and just fell asleep because I guess because it was 771 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:31,919 Speaker 3: the first time. It was like I didn't know where 772 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:34,800 Speaker 3: to go. I didn't know the resources, and I wanted 773 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:37,680 Speaker 3: to make sure that I well, you know, I want 774 00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:39,319 Speaker 3: to be a who wants to be attacked out there. 775 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:42,279 Speaker 3: But I also didn't know the laws. I didn't know 776 00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:45,200 Speaker 3: the thinking, I didn't know the neighborhoods. So it's like 777 00:45:45,440 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 3: that reminds me when I speak to people, like, you 778 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,799 Speaker 3: know what the mindset. The first thing is how you 779 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:54,200 Speaker 3: transition or preparing your mind to deal with this new 780 00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 3: reality because I'm used to living before that, living in 781 00:45:57,120 --> 00:46:00,640 Speaker 3: a place like everyone else, you don't think about certain things, 782 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 3: like you know, when you lay down, you have to 783 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:04,560 Speaker 3: make sure all your belonging together, you know, or you 784 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:06,880 Speaker 3: have to be able to be a light sleeper, you know, 785 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:09,839 Speaker 3: and maybe you're so exhausted you can't be a light 786 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:13,200 Speaker 3: sleeper because you're tired. And if you fall asleep and 787 00:46:13,239 --> 00:46:15,279 Speaker 3: you wake up, all your stuff's going and now you're 788 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,319 Speaker 3: also dealing with that trauma of losing things and then 789 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 3: trying to recoup all of that and then find and 790 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:23,080 Speaker 3: find places where to do it, and then to try 791 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 3: to find a new place to sleep exactly, and then 792 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:29,400 Speaker 3: the game starts all over again. And so that is like, 793 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:32,399 Speaker 3: that's the reality that I think if I could think 794 00:46:32,440 --> 00:46:35,879 Speaker 3: about it over again or tell people who have never 795 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:38,439 Speaker 3: been in the house, that's the beginning of it. That's 796 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:41,680 Speaker 3: the reality of losing everything and having to start over 797 00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 3: multiple times, and then having to deal with the mental 798 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:47,280 Speaker 3: stress of that and the physical stress. 799 00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:52,319 Speaker 4: And I think even now like sort of I'm like 800 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:56,440 Speaker 4: eight years on that, like I'm still finding it hard 801 00:46:56,520 --> 00:47:00,520 Speaker 4: to fully relax. That's the long term thing, how much 802 00:47:00,560 --> 00:47:02,319 Speaker 4: it stays with you, and. 803 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:05,920 Speaker 3: I think too, like to me, with me, I became 804 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:09,000 Speaker 3: even more words of pack rack because of trauma. And 805 00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:12,480 Speaker 3: I'm like trying to share the idea of having to 806 00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:14,680 Speaker 3: have all this stuff because I don't know if I'm 807 00:47:14,719 --> 00:47:16,719 Speaker 3: going to need it. If you know, someone's going to 808 00:47:16,760 --> 00:47:18,640 Speaker 3: come and take all my stuff, at least I have extra, 809 00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:22,200 Speaker 3: you know. So that's it's driving me crazy, like I 810 00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:24,919 Speaker 3: don't need to do this, but it's like piecemeal. I'm 811 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:26,960 Speaker 3: like I've gotten to the point where like I got 812 00:47:26,960 --> 00:47:29,560 Speaker 3: to slowly, you know, get out of it. But it's 813 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:32,880 Speaker 3: it's an adjustment becoming on house, and then it's an 814 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:36,400 Speaker 3: adjustment becoming housed again and dealing with the realities of 815 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:41,440 Speaker 3: being housed. And you always in that kind of ongoing 816 00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:44,799 Speaker 3: struggle with your your two selves, if you will, if 817 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:48,520 Speaker 3: I believe you know what I'm saying, So I definitely agree. Definitely, 818 00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:51,480 Speaker 3: So Greta, I have to thank you very much for 819 00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:53,640 Speaker 3: being gracious enough to come in and speak with me, 820 00:47:54,160 --> 00:47:56,120 Speaker 3: and I hope to have you on my show again. 821 00:47:57,239 --> 00:48:03,960 Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you very much to Greta for her 822 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:04,840 Speaker 1: courageous story. 823 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:07,640 Speaker 3: If you have a story you'd like to share that's 824 00:48:07,719 --> 00:48:12,480 Speaker 3: local or international, please reach out to me at weediat 825 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 3: House at gmail dot com or Weedianhouse on Instagram. Thank 826 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:20,320 Speaker 3: you all for listening and let's meet again in the 827 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:29,120 Speaker 3: light of understanding. Whedian Howes is a production of iHeartRadio. 828 00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:32,800 Speaker 3: It is written, hosted, and created by me Theo Henderson. 829 00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:39,200 Speaker 3: Our producers Jamie Loftus, Hailey Fager, Katie Fischel, and Lyra Smith. 830 00:48:40,040 --> 00:48:44,320 Speaker 3: Our editor is Adam Want, Our engineer is Joel Jerome 831 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:46,400 Speaker 3: and Our local. 832 00:48:46,239 --> 00:48:50,320 Speaker 1: Art is also by Katiefiicial. Thank you for listening.