As you will have read from previous posts, women aren’t often seen out on the streets. If they are sleeping rough, they tend to be hidden from view, and in many cases with a partner.
Maria, 25, however did spend time sleeping rough where she was both visible and on her own.
I have been spending time with Maria who is now in hostel accommodation. The other day we headed down to Elephant and Castle where she had an appointment at the Job Center. On the way back we walked through the tunnels where she had slept, alone, on and off for a month. She explained to me what it had been like for her. This is what she told me: