AIBU to give money to the ladies who literally lie flat on their faces in the street?

[pa1oma]

I was wondering if I could ask people’s opinions on something please? ... In recent weeks / months when I’m out and about shopping, I’m seeing noticeably more of the (mainly Iranian, I think) ladies who lie on their face in the street, wailing and begging for money. For instance, in Kensington there was another one today and several down Champs Elysees as well as Hammersmith last week and it’s very distressing, but DH says not to give them anything because neither them or their children will see any of it. He says they are being put out their by a gang leader who uses these women and sends them out to beg because they are more likely to get money than a man who is begging. What do people think and do you give money to these women? I’m never sure what to do.

I’ve seen quite a few of them in Chiswick, too. Until a few months ago there were several men (possibly Eastern European, but O know what you mean about looking like they could be Iranian) who appeared to have disabilities and would follow people whilst pleading and wailing and begging for money. Had to leave early for work one day and saw them all being dropped off from a pretty new Mercedes. Word got out locally that they were being run by gang masters, and now they’ve all vanished to be replaced by women, who look very similar, and yes they wail and plead and it’s horrible. They do it less than the men did but one is pregnant and everyone I know who sees her is very conflicted. No one wants them to get in trouble with their gang master for not getting enough money, but equally if they DO get money then it encourages the men who are exploiting them to try to effectively enslave more women.