Anne327,
Sorry for name typo. Now, in my experience women who have
been sexually abused, sometimes turn into cutters. Now and again,
a victim spins truth, and blames herself for victimization. She hurts herself to, she thinks, ease emotional guilt, which she shouldn't have in the first place. There's a possibility something from this gal's past is interfering with current peace and state of well-being. Don't know. Just a thought!

This breaks my heart. How old is she?

I'd try to befriend her. It sounds like she needs to be loved and accepted.

I have worked with and around many mentally ill in my work with people with various disabilities. No, I was not afraid of them at all in that environment because I knew them individually as people and built up whatever relationship was possible. Now, on the streets of Atlanta (where there are plenty) I am usually fine but occasionally feel that nervousness and fear. I don't think our fears come from anything more than being around someone who's actions you can't predict from your past experiences with people over your life. The folks I knew at work were familiar and I was able to predict there behavior and reactions to people and things. This enabled me to be comfortable and at ease. Being fearful of th unknown isn't a bad thing, it is a basic human survival tool built into people.

greene, you make perfect sense. I totally agree. However, there are times when I don't think I have to be so cautious while out in the public. I'm learning that it's perfectly fine to offer a pleasantry to the homeless I see around town. For the most part, they're harmless.

Thats insightfull dotsie and could almost be a mantra for life in generall.

Working with street homless who beg, thir experinse is often one of extreem lonliness as they interact with 100's of people each day who act as if thy arn't thir. In a sense thy become dehuminised.

one bit of contact short but personal will definatlie make a world of diffrese to these people and what dose it cost us to smile and make eye contact? A simplie "hi" tunres into I acknolage you as being a person and being thir.

I hope i not patrinising you but big pat on the back for relising what you had done and changing it to a more positive action, good self reflection and generosity of spirite thir my lady

In london that big lonlie city, poppie know ever begger by name and them her, on her way to work studie and home.

She know them by name and will stop sit or crouch and chat for 5 minets just generall stuff.

maybee becouse thir always thir she somehow safer as she goes about her bussness, well safer from anyone else hurting her. She not been hurt once by the homless.

as i said i worked in this area and the abuse thes people take would have most of us in therapie for years. Only thir abused and humilated and even physicalie tourtured and hurt if not daily then weeklie.

Thanks for doing things diffrentlie and by doing that i'd bet your sprinkling love around as you do your walking.
Its certinly worth the walk

Anne327,
I've been thinking about you and praying everything will be
okay. Take care. Sorry to hear of this situation.

Anne, so sad to hear that she is young. I got that feeling from your original post. I hope someone can make a difference soon.

It does not surprise me that Poppie chats with the homeless. She appears to have such an open heart.

While posting in this thread, I am reminded that the people who caused the fire at my husband's office were homeless. They may also be mentally ill, but how would we know. They are crack addicts. Pitiful.

There is one woman in particular who lived back there with friends. Even after the firs, she proceeded to live back there. The police kept asking her to leave. They finally took her in one night and she spent the night in jail and was released the next day, and back on the streets.

They can't really prove that she started the fire, but it was her mattress that caught on fire.

A solution is that Ross is having a camera system set up on the back of his building so that as soon as they see anyone back there, they wll notify the police.

The back of his building is the perfect little cubby/hide-out because hardly anyone uses the alley. He has two old row homes. one is shorter that the other, and the row home on the other side is deep, so it's a nice little sheltered spot.

A couple times in the past, he's had to haul homeless belongings to the dump because many would accumulate their belongings in that cubby. WHile it ticks you off that your property is used that way, and you want the homeless off the street, it still doesn't feel right to take the only things they have and dump them, but there is no choice. They don't listen to anyone.

Isa there anyway he could fence off the area Dotsie with a tall fence? It would be worth any cost in the long run if the city would allow it.