Sarah’s story

Sarah* lives in one of our hostels in London. She talks about her experience of homelessness as a transgender woman and her hopes for the future.

Sarah ended up homeless after coming out as a transgender woman on her 21st birthday. Sleeping rough is dangerous for anyone. But for Sarah, being a transgender woman on the streets posed additional challenges.

Every time I go to sleep, I keep one eye open for my safety. Women go through it worse.

Listen to Sarah tell her own story below.

*Trigger warning* Sarah talks about being assaulted while on the streets and receiving transphobic and racial abuse.

Sarah now lives in a St Mungo’s hostel where she feels safe and protected.

It is a hard struggle out there. But there is a future, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

*Sarah’s real name has been changed to protect her identity.

St Mungo’s has long known that homelessness is different for women, and that expecting women to thrive in traditional, male-dominated homelessness services is not good enough. To improve our support for cisgender and transgender women, we aim to offer women-only spaces to all women, to improve rough sleeping services so they are safer for women, and support our staff to recognise and respond to violence and abuse. Read our Women’s strategy here.

A donation of £50 could help to provide counselling to support someone like Sarah. Donate £50 today.