Menstruation and Homelessness
Anyone who menstruates knows how cumbersome it can be; especially if their menstruation comes with cramps, a heavy flow or emotional distress. But when you are a person who menstruates and you don’t have a permanent home, having a period can be downright dreadful (and even dangerous.)
Homelessness in Berlin
Though it’s hard to collect accurate statistics on those living “rough” - according to a a homeless census conducted in Berlin at the end of January, 2020, there were around 2000 homeless people living rough in the German capital.
And the number of people currently living in Berlin shelters is estimated to be around 36,000, 16% of which are women.
While this may not sound like a lot of womxn without a home, don’t celebrate just yet. According to the German Institute for Human Rights, it is not uncommon for womxn, to enter into shared living arrangements in which they are subjected to sexual exploitation and violence in order to avoid living on the streets. Yep, womxn would rather risk violence and sexual abuse than be homeless.
“Homelessness is much more international nowadays, it’s more female, and we are seeing more homeless people with a severe disability, and more older people. Because of that, we said we have to set up homelessness support in a way that it is adapted to the needs of homeless people so that it actually reaches people and is comprehensive.”
Barriers of Being a Homeless Menstruator
And it’s no surprise why someone might risk sexual exploitation or violence when you consider the barriers that come along with menstruation.
For one, menstrual products are costly. New research has revealed that British menstruators spend as much as £18,450 on their periods over the course of their lifetime. That’s over 20,000 euros and includes essential sanitary products as well as pain relief and other extras like chocolate or new underwear (because, yea, period stains.) When you don’t have a steady source of income, though, you might have to forgo a meal or two in order to buy your monthly menstrual products. And affording pain killers is simply out of the question.
The second barrier to menstruating while homeless is that public bathrooms are not exactly sanitary places to practice adequate menstrual hygiene , not to mention most of the public bathrooms aren’t available at night. Though reusable pads and menstrual cups are rising in popularity, they are not possible for homeless people because the cost is too steep and because they need to be cleaned properly in order to prevent serious illness. Practicing environmental menstruation is simply not possible for homeless menstruators.
That means homeless menstruators MUST use disposable sanitary products (if they can afford them) - many of which contain a host of dioxins, pesticides and chemical fragrances, which are not required to be labeled on the packaging (Spinks 2015). These can cause infections, rashes, and in some cases, even death. Not to mention the disposal of such products generates a lot of landfill waste detrimental to the environment. If they can’t afford disposable sanitary products and can’t use reusable products because they lack adequate cleaning facilities, they must use what they can to absorb the blood - which unfortunately means napkins, ripped up cloth, or toilet paper.
Lastly, menstruation causes homeless people to miss important opportunities like potential job interviews or school for fear they might bleed through through their pants. According to the United Nations Girls Education Initiative, “a girl who misses school because of her period is estimated to miss an average of two and a half weeks of school each year. Other estimates say girls may miss up to 20% of the school year.”
To sum it up - it’s almost impossible for a homeless person who bleeds monthly and lacks adequate finanical resources to attain a socially acceptable, clean and concealed period. And faces yet another barrier to attaining financial independence or bettering themselves through education.
But why is menstrual health so important?
Because the prolonged use of the same cloth and limited access to washing facilities increases the likelihood that a person will contract a reproductive tract infection.
Therefore, having good menstrual hygiene not only protects women from negative social interactions caused by leaking or staining, but it protects their overall reproductive and gynaecological health.
Menstruation is often overlooked and forgotten in reports addressing the health needs of people experiencing homelessness which means menstrual health is not a relevant topic for policy makers and service managers. This ultimately means that people without adequate financial resources must use irregular, and at times, potentially unsafe methods of menstrual hygiene management. And puts them at an even greater disadvantage.
So, the next time Aunt Flo comes to town, consider yourself lucky that you have adequate access to private and hygienic facilities to boil your menstrual cup and can afford to buy yourself a box of organic panty liners. For having a period while also being homeless can put you at risk for disease, embarrassment and hunger.