Girls missing school because of poverty

[user1496170327]

Hello Everyone!

Thanks to everyone who suggested posting in this thread!

I'm a teenage girl who's started a campaign to help girls who can't afford sanitary products.

Some of you may have read recently that girls across the UK skip school because they can't face the shame of going to school without adequate sanitary care.

Some use socks, toilet roll and sellotape, or even newspaper. Young girls are living in such extreme poverty, and I believe this must be discussed and addressed, especially when this can harm their health.

I was absolutely horrified that this is happening in Britain and felt that something had to be done. So, I'm calling on the government to provide free sanitary provision for girls in need, as a first step. I'm writing to MPs every day and the response, so far, has been really positive. I think that this is something that can happen with enough support!

I'm really hoping that you will agree that this is so very important- that all girls should be able to access essential care and go to school with confidence and that we should not be disadvantaged because of our gender. May I ask you to add your name to my petition to the government, and if you could share on social media, that would be amazing!

https:/https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-free-sanitary-products-for-girls-on-free-school-meals-freeperiods

I'm writing an article for a newspaper about period poverty in schools, and if you've been in this dreadful situation yourself, I'd really appreciate it if you could get in touch, if you're happy to!

Thank you so much for your support!! I really appreciate it, and I believe that if enough people want to change this situation, we can make it happen. Thanks again!

[email protected]

[WindwardCircle]

I find the number of posters on this thread seemingly begrudging giving desperately poor girls free sanitary protection very depressing.

I didn't grow up poor, my mum always kept the bathroom cupboard well stocked with pads so not access to protection isn't something I experienced. I did start my periods at ten though, I wouldn't have been able to cope with using a mooncup at that age, neither would hormonal contraceptives have been suitable at that age, or for several years after.

As has been pointed out, pads are cheap. It's not asking much to say that girls in poverty should be given sanitary protection so they can just function at the same level as their peers.

[origamiwarrior]

This is great work OP.

Have you looked into getting SanPro manufacturers to sponsor such an initiative? Surely it's a marketing department's dream a) targeting young girls thus getting brand loyalty for life b) fulfil their corporate responsibility obligations c) promote their support on their packaging (in much the same way Pampers does with their Unicef vaccines) to increase sales. I would be more inclined to buy Lilets over Tampax (for example) if I knew for each pack bought, Lilets donated x amount to their foundation.

[IntheBenefitTrap]

As a teacher who has had to leave work due to disability... Yes. Yes there are people in the UK that are that poor.

[TuffTott]

I've seen lots of girls who can't afford sanpro.
It happens.
I don't think the pill is the answer - some girls start their period at 10, sometimes younger. I'm not sure what effect taking a hormonal pill would have on developing bodies.

[TuffTott]

Meant to add that I've signed and shared on twitter. Well done OP.

[Ummbopdoowap]

I don't understand the posters who are against it because they think it's due to bad parenting. Just say it is all caused by parental neglect, why should the girls suffer? What are the girls actually supposed to do when their period comes each month?

[elizabethleicester]

Go to Superdrug online. Register for their health and beauty points card which is free. That card then qualifies you for free standard delivery on online orders and plenty of offers just for having the card.

there really is no excuse, you can buy cheap towels with no postage charges.

Of course, banks are so willing to give debit cards to people on the poverty line. I can't change banks because not one will give me a debit card so I'm stuck with the one I'm with who do.

[Ummbopdoowap]

I think it would also be nice to highlight the long term hormonal contraception which stops the monthly flow also. Of course you cannot force these young women to have contraception but if you could remove the cost of any sanitary product from their lives as well as reducing the amount of teen pregnancies it would be a bonus all round?

Hormonal contraception caused me severe depression and rage so bad it destroyed my old relationship and nearly cost me my job. I know not everyone is affected that way but I also know I am far from alone in suffering with it.

[LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously]

Happened to me. There's a comment upthread about it being neglectful on the parents' part and nothing to do with poverty, and I'm inclined to agree that there's an element of neglect, but it has everything to do with poverty.

My parents were poor. My mother refused to buy me sanitary products because she 'had other things to buy'. I'd sometimes get a pack of 10 tesco value pads to last me two months. I had to ration them, wearing one all day and wrapping it with tissue so it would absorb more blood, often leaking onto my school uniform. Days where I'd run out of pads I'd use folded, thick sports socks that I would then have to watch in the bathroom sink when nobody was around because I was so fucking ashamed.

Yes it was horrific, yes it was partly due to neglect but I guarantee that if we weren't poor I'd have rode to town on my bike at 10 years old and bought my own with pocket money.

Signed and shared.

[LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously]

*Wash

[LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously]

Oh and I'm in my twenties. This wasn't long ago!

[MinkyPresident]

LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously I think your account highlights that it's this is something that's affecting girls today.

Nothing has changed. There's still poverty and a quick google shows that there are over 3.7m children living in poverty today.

How many of these are struggling with affording sanitary products. What of the long term psychological damage? What about days missed off school and the repercussions on educational achievement? Cycle of poverty can go on for generations.

Everyone here who sees this as a real problem, yes action is needed. And yes, blaming parents is not the answer. And yes, the girls are the victims.

[BarbaraVikkiSant]

Agree wholeheartedly.

Signed and shared on fb and twitter.

[Perfectly1mperfect]

@LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously
That must have been awful for you to have to cope with. It shouldn't have happened. You said there's an element of neglect but also poverty. Your mum refused to buy sanitary protection because she had other things to buy. I just can't get my head around that. They are a necessity not a luxury. I do not believe that anyone in this country can't afford them, it's just parents making bad decisions with their money. Children should not have to suffer the consequences for parents not putting them first. It's time we started putting children first instead of letting them live in families where their basic needs are not met.

[user1496170327]

Thank you everyone who is signing and sharing. It's really making a difference. I’m really grateful to you all.

I’m so touched by all the stories of hardship that you’ve shared with us all- thank you.

It’s so clear that that for girls who can’t afford sanitary products each month, the effects are long-lasting and potentially damaging.

Please share the link with everyone you know so we can make it to 10k signatures. That way, the government has to respond to our request. With the backing we have from the House of Commons and the House of Lords, we can mobilise the government into making a commitment on this.

Thanks to all the people who’ve written to their MPs. If you wish, you can use this //www.writetothem.com to make it even easier.

Please carry on making a noise about this! Thank you again.

[CarolineCarewCornwall]

Well done OP. Brilliant effort in starting this and raising awareness.
Signed, shared and will email my MP. Such a real issue and it must be addressed.

[UnbornMortificado]

Well done for bringing this is up OP.

It's easy to think no ones that poor, I've been poor but not to that extent so I can't comment personally but my mam was a Citizens Advice worker she saw this a lot.

I always put a pack it the food bank even today.

I'm sorry to anyone who has had personal experience with this issue

[mogloveseggs]

Signed. Will share when I remember my Facebook password! Such a worthy cause.

[Rockaby]

Signed and will share. Thanks op.

[noeffingidea]

I'm another one who sometimes had to use toilet paper instead of pads when I was a teenager. A few months ago I also had to get my daughters sanitary towels from the food bank, so yes it can be due to poverty, thankfully short term for my family.
Sometimes it is down to parental neglect, either due to difficult circumstances, problems and occassionally just shitty uncaring parenting. All of these things are out of the child's control and not their fault. It is the responsibility of a caring decent society to pick up the pieces, to fill the gaps for people who are unable to do so themselves.
Personally I think all schools should have a welfare fund to cover this kind of thing, also as other poster have mentioned, other toiletry needs, acess to showers, and food for children who aren't adequately cared for at home.
Shout out to the teachers who have posted on here who use their own money to buy things their students need. You are heroes.
Signed the petition OP. Best of luck with it

[LornaMumsnet]

Hi all,

We're just going to move this over to our petitions topic.

[brintabother]

Signed and shared OP
noeffingidea every word you said is true. Lots of reasons for this happening. But the girls need help and that's that.
Very worthy campaign and good to see so much support for it.

[PinkPositive]

Signed.
I'm glad something is being done about this as I know exactly how this feels. I won't forget.

[ChloeReddit]

Such awful and tragic stories on here. I've signed and shared on social media.
Sad this is happening in our rich nation.

[ChloeReddit]

Can't you get this back on AIBU for more traffic?