Fandom Shout-Out
Originally posted by nimnod at Fandom Shout-Out
In the heyday of fandom, people used to do things like this and fandom always found a solution; it was a real force for social good. So, here I am, trusting to the universe and hoping for some grace.
One of my most kind and loyal friends on LJ and in fandom lives is Austin, Texas. She was seriously abused as a child and then trafficked for a number of years. A year or so ago she managed to escape into a church programme that rescues human trafficking victims and has been working on rebuilding her life. She got a job, an apartment, and her life seemed like it was really on track. Then unfortunately she became ill, suffering quite serious depression, understandably given the succession of traumas she's experienced, and because the USA has some of the worst labour policies in the world, she was laid off (not allowed time off in hospital for a heart attack [IN YOUR EARLY 20s] AND any sick leave for depression! Lazy workforce, bringing down the 1%'s profit margin!). She has no-where to go and no-one to stay with except returning to her father who abused her for so many years, and so she is living out of her car now, in quiet desperation. The church organisation who helped her before are trying to use the situation to force her into becoming a missionary by offering her a place to stay on condition she eschews all contact with anyone and goes into their cultish missionary-training programme, which - not a good idea.
Does anyone know anyone else in fandomliving in or close to Austin, Texas? Someone who could help this young person either by helping her source some sort of programme that could offer her accommodation, or who'd be willing to put her up for a while, or who knows if there is any sort of social services accoms available to young homeless women, or who could do ANYTHING at all? If you're near that area or know anyone near that area please consider boosting the signal, carrying the message onto DreamWidth - anything. If you want to contact her leave me your contact details and I will pass them on to her.
In the heyday of fandom, people used to do things like this and fandom always found a solution; it was a real force for social good. So, here I am, trusting to the universe and hoping for some grace.
One of my most kind and loyal friends on LJ and in fandom lives is Austin, Texas. She was seriously abused as a child and then trafficked for a number of years. A year or so ago she managed to escape into a church programme that rescues human trafficking victims and has been working on rebuilding her life. She got a job, an apartment, and her life seemed like it was really on track. Then unfortunately she became ill, suffering quite serious depression, understandably given the succession of traumas she's experienced, and because the USA has some of the worst labour policies in the world, she was laid off (not allowed time off in hospital for a heart attack [IN YOUR EARLY 20s] AND any sick leave for depression! Lazy workforce, bringing down the 1%'s profit margin!). She has no-where to go and no-one to stay with except returning to her father who abused her for so many years, and so she is living out of her car now, in quiet desperation. The church organisation who helped her before are trying to use the situation to force her into becoming a missionary by offering her a place to stay on condition she eschews all contact with anyone and goes into their cultish missionary-training programme, which - not a good idea.
Does anyone know anyone else in fandomliving in or close to Austin, Texas? Someone who could help this young person either by helping her source some sort of programme that could offer her accommodation, or who'd be willing to put her up for a while, or who knows if there is any sort of social services accoms available to young homeless women, or who could do ANYTHING at all? If you're near that area or know anyone near that area please consider boosting the signal, carrying the message onto DreamWidth - anything. If you want to contact her leave me your contact details and I will pass them on to her.