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Homeless, abandoned.
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on 2008-12-23 06:00:27 |
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Recently I watched some videos about homeless people, abandoned children, triggered by watching Nobody Knows. What crossed my mind was, as a teenager, would you choose to be homeless rather than to live with your messed up family/parents? (e.g. drug addicts, DV, alcoholic). At the first time, I was thinking I would choose a homeless life. But it comes out that, being homeless can be a lot more dangerous without the surveillance of an adult. But at the same time, cases of prostitution and drug abuse comes from these parents. Choosing to live in an orphanage could be an option, but yeah, sometimes these messed up parents do everything to hide their kids from being handed to the orphanage. Because mostly teenager would choose to run away from home, or to live homeless rather than to live with their messed up parents(in my country, that is). And maybe, most of them eventually gets involved with illegal activities. I got to know that some part of the society were prejudice with homeless people, not that I say all of them are good. Because from my eyes, mostly these homeless people are drunkard, probably drug addicts or some children whom were abandoned. I heard myself that people refuse to help these homeless people, by some reason; -they are too lazy to get a job -they're looking for easy money to survive -some are just alcoholics begging money for extra beer. In my city, beggars a.k.a homeless person are not allowed to 'be homeless' around the city areas. They're not allowed to beg for money, not allowed to sleep under the bridge, not allowed to sleep at places people would see em, not allowed to ask for food yada yada. I always saw the police shoving em away, but it doesnt change the fact that these people are STILL homeless. What's sad is that these homeless people whom are still on the street are 'rejected' to live in government welfare houses w/e, and sometimes not being able to get a job, are caused by their records(criminals, health etc). Mostly are infected with HIV or suffering from mental problems. Opinions about homelessness or abandonment, adult, teen or children are very welcomed. :)  |
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Re: Homeless, abandoned.
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on 2008-12-23 07:18:12 |
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Well, going to college in a big city area, I've had a lot of experiences with homeless people, something I never had to face when I was back home in the country, lol. I know a lot of people believe in teh "hobo" stereotype, just like you said that "-they are too lazy to get a job -they're looking for easy money to survive -some are just alcoholics begging money for extra beer." but I've learned that there are plenty of homeless people that are completely different. I know several homeless people that have jobs and dont even beg for money. They just cant afford a home. I even know a few that said they wouldn't want a house/apartment even if someone gave it to them o_o, coz they've become so used to the life style they wouldn't know what to do with one. Alsooooo~ in Boston, the homeless people blend in easier, because the shelters receive enough funding to be able to give away nice clothes and other items. O: So they dont necessarily receive that sort of prejudice unless someone already knows they are homeless. but umm so my family situation has always been messed up, but never to the extent that I felt I should runaway. I do think that if it had ever got to that point, where I absolutely couldn't stand the situation any longer or if I even felt my life was at risk, I would run away to the city and become homeless there. [in the country there is no point to runaway to somewhere close.. everyone here knows you =_=] In some cases, I think its better homeless than to stay in a horrible situation at home, like with a sexually abusive father something thats very dangerous and very damaging to anyone who deals with it. However, being homeless, many teens are more vulnerable to falling into dangerous practices like prostitution and drug dealing. Not to mention, if they get sick, they probably don't have the money to get treated at a hospital, and there aren't too many free clinics, and theyre usually only open on certain days. So it's really a tough decision to say whether it would be worth becoming homeless or not due to a bad homelife. Both situations are very discouraging v__v I feel for anyone that has endured one or both of those, I know that I could never be a strong enough person to handle either. |
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Re: Homeless, abandoned.
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Here there's a huge prejudice against urban homeless and rural homeless. Regarding urban type, in the city I live we don't have many, but they receive support from NGOs, mostly church-related. Children homeless here I've never seen here, though there are some children asking money on streets (quite rare) they do have homes and not live on the streets. On the bigger cities in the country, the number of beggars and people living on the streets is very high. Though begging is technically a infraction of penal legislation, the police never applied that rule, solely removing them from some districts (like upper class areas), which is also a crime but the District Attorney office never acted against those cops. In those big cities, the government does not provide shelters, but offers low-cost meals, free medical assistance (we do have it for all citizens, very flawed but good). For children, child services, in some cities, go every afternoon around some parts of the city and take these children to shelters. Homeless children, generally and in all cities that have the problem, are always take to foster homes, but most of the time they run away. On the problem of stereotype, that was institutionalized, at least at my city, on important crossroads there are some banners saying not to give money to beggars. Seeing the problem as result of laziness is just too convenient for the State, "it's their fault" sort of explanation. In the case of children who comes from really problematic families, through NGOs they can go to a better home, or can help the parents dealing with their problems and all. But the thing is that these chances only exists on big cities, so for most population that's not an option, a mixture of lack of structure and will to take action. Rural homelessness it's an important problem, in the case of my country, where we have a concentration of land (unused one) in the hands of few. They live on the margin of roads that crosses important agricultural areas; in some cases the invade third party lands as a way to pressure the federal government to speed up land distribution. While they're camping along the margins of the roads they do receive some help from their association which, I think, distribute goods that they receive from federal government. Since in the state I live we have a agricultural oriented mind, we tend to be very critical of rural landless people, and nationwide the news are always biased to portray them as bullies, lawbreakers and all. Basically the problem is like this, you have a rural estate that has 400 hectares (1 hectare is 10.000 square meters) and the guy uses the equivalent 50 or 60 hectares of good land, while the rest of the land is used to do speculation. Well I do think that If i live in a situation of abuse or drug addicted parents, I'd probably run away, taking in account that I ended up pretty messed up by them and that I wouldn't be thinking right during those days. |
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Re: Homeless, abandoned.
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by
 
on 2008-12-23 15:29:13 (edited 2008-12-23 15:29:56)
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I always feel sorry for the homeless people when I pass every road on the city. Most people would say they are lazy-arsed civilians whom are not contributing to the well-educated society so forth etc. Not all hobos ended up being lazy-arsed. If I live in a dysfunctional family, I shouldn't run away from my hometown... maybe I would break out from the broken home and run to the nearest police station to report the abuse I get throughout my life. In the end, I could be sheltered in some ophanage home run by the NGOs. Being homeless would be the toughest obstacle for any human~~~ any home provides food, clothes, shelter and security in one roof, for one occupant or mates or a family. Believe me, everytime I see one homeless person on the street begging, I just feel emptiness in between spaces. Surreal, although it's a thing of reality. The more the well-educated people rejects the lesser educated ones, the more the lesser ones will fall into drug addiction and alcohol abuse, crimes and hostility, which they degrades the society as a means of insult after the rejection. That's what I thought, I might be wrong. |
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Re: Homeless, abandoned.
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I'd think it heretical to even consider running away from a dysfunctional home, no matter how screwed-up my relations with my folks. It's an insult to them, and to their service to me. Also, I agree with everyone in this thread who says they feel for the homeless. Their life is nothing short of hellish. Coming from a nation with one of the highest abandonment rates in the world, I think it's perfectly horrible that people try to assuage their egos by convincing themselves that these people are 'lazy-arsed civilians' who can't be expected to differentiate between a hard-earned dollar and a hole in the ground; these people deserve to be drawn and quartered, IMO, because they're the ones responsible for this delinquency and they know it.  --> |
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Re: Homeless, abandoned.
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by
on 2009-04-09 05:26:53 |
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Yeah, I agree. Whenever I see a homeless person... Mum refuses to let me give them money... When I used to go into the city a lot... I saw this man... Apparently, he polished shoes... But hes gone... and somehow, I doubt he moved to another location... I come from a family of, like, the nicest people youll ever meet. Theres no way any of them could be messed up. But, even I considered running away from home... Just because youre messed, that doesnt mean everyone else around you is. Just because youre surrounded by messed up people, that doesnt mean youre messed up. Its a stereotype, and I hate it.
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