HELP US TO AVOID HOMELESSNESS
Hey guys,
Most of you will be here from my Instagram account, @pixiesbigwhy, but if you’re not, my name is Esme (but most people know me as Pixie). I am 21, autistic, British, non-binary, and an abuse survivor.
Three years ago, when I was 18, my mum and I fled my abusive dad and went into hiding in the UK. The police were able to do very little in our defense, and sadly, my dad tracked us down. We fled abroad to France, where we now face poverty, discrimination, and hate.
Due to the extensive bureaucracy here in France, we have been unable to receive financial aid, and we have, at times, gone hungry - once for several weeks. Given that I have C-PTSD, PTSD, ADHD, chronic fatigue, am in recovery from severe anorexia, and I’m also autistic, I cannot work. My mum is my full-time carer. I also have a service dog named Josephine, without whom I wouldn’t be here today.
We have been away from our homeland for 3 years. We are currently squatting in our rental apartment because we cannot afford to pay rent, but we will be thrown onto the street in April. We do not have a washer or dryer, and there is very little hot water. We are unable to bathe or keep properly clean, which is dangerous for our health, as we both have chronic fatigue syndrome. We now have candidiasis infections, severe allergies, and there is black mold in our bathroom. We cannot go to a shelter as they are inaccessible for autistic needs.
A few days ago, we turned to our extended family in desperation (who we had previously disowned, also due to abuse), and begged them to help us. We asked them for a loan to help get us back to the UK, secure a rental deposit in a safe location (far away from my dad), and help pay for living expenses until we could get financial aid/benefits. Without a hint of kindness, they refused to acknowledge us and have now left us abandoned. We are surviving only on the kind donations of my Instagram followers.
We have contacted the social services in the UK, but they insist on sending us back to Bristol, where my dad is located. They also say that it may take 6 months for them to house us, and they are also talking about having my service dog rehoused. That is not acceptable.
Guys, we need your help. We are desperate. We don’t know what to do. If every one of you guys gave just £2, we would have more than what we need to get home. We have until late March. Thank you.
Travel expenses: £80
Removals: £500
AirBnB while searching for rental (2 weeks): £250
Rent and deposit: £1170
Living expenses until we can get benefits/financial aid (food, petrol/gas, household goods, Wi-Fi, any emergency costs): £1000
TOTAL: £3,000
= €3572 EUROS
