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Today May 28 is the International Day of Menstrual Hygiene, dedicated to issues such as menstrual poverty, the abolition of the numerous taboos surrounding the menstrual cycle, the prevention of diseases and infections. Unfortunately, however, still today there are homeless women who therefore face the problem of menstruation in an even more uncomfortable and impossible way than it already is.
Menstruation and homeless women: a big problem to manage
Even today, there are many women who feel shame and modesty when they have their period, as if it were something to be ashamed of. In reality, it is a physiological and natural thing, which must raise public awareness and above all the new generations not to experience any more sensations of this type.
Regarding the menstrual cycle, in fact, there is still little knowledge and on the contrary, much ignorance, which leads people, women and men included, to talk about it (if they talk about it) in an almost shady or well hidden way, as if to conceal the topic.
This lack of knowledge has led to one over the years lack of knowledge even towards the most delicate realities and diseases and infections related to feminine hygiene.
Menstruation and homeless women: how do they do it?
This last argument is especially true for homeless women who, for obvious reasons, are forced to face the problem of menstruation in total solitude and with poor hygienic conditions.
Very often, in fact, homeless women do not even have a bathroom or a place where they can change and freshen up.
They must therefore work out in some way, even making do with DIY sanitary pads, such as socks or handkerchiefs.
The underlying problem, in addition to the poor hygienic conditions they are used to, is the too high taxation on the cost of sanitary towels. In fact, these should be provided free of charge by the state because it is a basic necessity for women.
Menstruation and homeless women: cases around the world
According to various surveys also carried out on foreign women around the world such as in Germany and England, the problem of menstruation is rather delicate and unfortunately, still today, little addressed.
There are women who, in order to change their tampons, cannot do it in the street in public and look for a quieter place to dedicate themselves to themselves. If they know of a hotel or restaurant, they ask to use the bathroom and they allow it. But it’s not always that easy to find kindness in people.
And especially in these cases of homeless women, the risk of infections is very high. Also because, as already said before, it is not a fixed rule that the State provides free sanitary pads and everything needed for personal intimate hygiene. And so they find themselves having to make do and change with pieces of toilet paper and moreover, in places par excellence not very clean and disinfected.
Menstruation and homeless women: how to solve the problem?
At this point, it becomes more and more urgent to solve the problem. State awareness should be raised a find the means to make the shelter structures more hygienic and provide them with everything needed for women. This way, they no longer have to change or feel uncomfortable going through the menstrual period every month. But above all, provide all women with sanitary pads free of charge, which is a natural thing and a basic necessity.
