The failures of society are upon us all, but there are cracks. Those who find them, and fall through, find a whole different world out there. It’s one of fights, rain, and cold nights if it’s that time of year.
I’ve heard stories of more. A homeless man kept inside a pub. The punters were arrested. A homeless lady thrown into a river. Again, the perpetrators were apprehended. It’s still a type of crime.
The startling truth is homelessness affects pretty much anyone it afflicts. There are those who say they came close to it, but most have succumbed. This is the evil, the scourge of our modern day reality. It’s a brutal reality check for those more prone to believing it’s going to be okay.
Our society suggests homelessness affects someone as part of the many ways in which we feel besieged. We feel let down, upset, and depressed in life. These are ways in which it can get to people. If you speak to homeless people in other parts of Europe, you’ll hear a very similar story.
The government has increased Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding by £20 million to provided extra shelter for those sleeping rough this winter. The total of £30 million will provide beds, food, and medical assistance for those in areas of most need in the UK.
In the Fitzrovia district of London there’s a sense things might not be as it seems. The recent government announcement of 1.5 million homes in the pipeline also indicates this to be true. The reality people of all ages, backgrounds, and hopes for the future out of pocket and living in sub-standard housing or even temporary accommodation shows itself in statistics and also on our streets.
In our time, homeless encampments as they are pop up at random times and in random places. These are areas less frequented by the less affluent and statements of a more secure way of life. However, the entry of the homeless population is a reminder too that we are all here together and need to see space as being something we all share.
The bare way of living a homeless person has to endure is visible and it’s all the more real in bad weather and good. It’s a familiar sight now to see charities benefiting society by handing out food and drink appropriate to the time and place they’re in.
The inclement weather and the sometimes rough treatment of passerby’s also impact the wellbeing of those who find themselves in this way almost by accident. The mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of the less fortunate members of our society shows itself in their stories. They were family members, sons or daughters, or even parents at one time.
The solutions to these problems are not as clear as we have hoped. The charities, foundations, and institutes we have work on it but are beset by changes to policy, lack of funding streams, and inconsistent attitudes in society. It’s a tough issue to handle, and the many different people in many different circumstances mean it becomes ever more complex.
The issue of homelessness is ever in the news.
As if A Street Cat Named Bob wasn’t enough to highlight the issue and draw attention to the plight of the homeless (in and out of accommodation), the many television reports and newspaper appeals bring to us the reality of living outdoors at night.
The fact is, however, it’s more problematic than that.
There are things which happen every night that affect the life of a homeless person.
There are fights, robberies, assaults and numerous other anti-social acts that affect the homeless, too.
It’s frightening, and it’s alienating.
The fact charities help isn’t the point.
It’s anti-social attitudes which make life harder and more hostile for the homeless.