It’s never easy to see a friend struggle, but sometimes, there’s only so much we can do to help them out. After one woman’s best friend became homeless, she made it clear that her friend was welcome to stay with her, as long as her boyfriend and dogs didn’t tag along.

Below, you’ll find the full story that this woman recently shared on the True Off My Chest subreddit, detailing the stressful situation, as well as some of the comments concerned readers have left.

After her best friend was evicted, this woman made it clear that she could come crash at her place

Image credits: Kevin Angelsø (not the actual photo)

However, the friend’s boyfriend and dogs did not receive the same invitation

Image credits: kitzstocker (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Key_Reading_9644

Later, the woman responded to some of the replies invested readers left her

Homelessness is a serious concern facing many individuals around the world

Having a roof over our heads is one of the basic necessities that all humans should be entitled to. Food, water, shelter, these things should not be privileges. But unfortunately, many people around the world find themselves facing homelessness due to a lack of resources or unfortunate circumstances that life has put them in. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are approximately 582,000 homeless individuals at the moment, a number that has been increasing since 2018. Globally, however, there may be as many as 1.6 billion people residing in poor housing, with around 15 million being evicted annually, the United Nations reports.

While unhoused individuals often face stigma from society about what led them to their current circumstances, the fact is that many people find themselves without homes due to factors out of their control and factors that most other people never have to worry about. According to Atlanta Mission, there are seven major causes of homelessness including: a lack of trustworthy relationships, illness and disability, abuse, working but in poverty, unemployment, lack of affordable housing and personal hardships. 

When you don’t have a friend or family member to call when you’re down on your luck, it’s incredibly easy to be forced onto the streets. And sadly, more than 90% of women who find themselves facing homelessness have survived some form of physical or sexual abuse. “The rate of domestic abuse survivors, both men and women, left experiencing homelessness happens far too often,” Atlanta Mission writes. “This leaves the survivors with nowhere to turn when they escape their abusers, forcing them to call the streets their home.”

Image credits:Chris John (not the actual photo)

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Thankfully, there are plenty of ways people can help support their unhoused friends

The good news, however, is that there are ways for many of us to help out our friends and family members who find themselves unhoused. As the woman in this Reddit story so graciously did, we can always offer up a place to stay for our loved ones. According to SpunOut, it can also be helpful to direct our friends towards resources, if they cannot stay with us or if they don’t want to stay with us. There are likely homeless shelters, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, and more in the area that they might feel more comfortable seeking help from. We can also ask our friends what they need, providing them with anything from sanitary and hygiene products to water bottles and snacks. You may not be able to get them everything, of course, but a little help will sometimes go a long way.

When helping out an unhoused friend, it’s important to treat them with respect and not make light of their situation. If they are struggling with substance abuse or caught in an abusive relationship, see if there are any resources you can turn them to that will help them get to a safer place. But it’s important to also remember that their situation is not entirely your responsibility. You may not be able to get them a roof over their head, and they might feel overwhelmed if you try to tell them what to do. Offer emotional support and physical assistance when possible, but don’t forget to look after yourself. “You need to prioritize your own wellbeing so that you can support them,” SpunOut explains on their site. “If you have responsibilities like school, college or work, it’s okay to focus on those. Just let your friend know that you will do what you can with the time that you have. Taking time for yourself is important.”

Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

But it’s always up to the individual whether or not they will accept the assistance they’re offered

It’s also important to remember that just because you offer a friend assistance does not mean they will actually accept it. According to the Cauf Society, “The main reasons why homeless people refuse help are that they view shelters as dangerous places, feel inundated with religion and substance abuse and mental health counseling when in them, cannot take their pets into the shelters, and have substance abuse disorders that prevent them from meeting the requirements of drug screenings.” Everyone’s situation is nuanced, and we cannot expect every single person to be making decisions the same way we would, or the same way we think we would, if we were in their shoes.

Facing homelessness can be incredibly scary and traumatizing, but this woman did her part in trying to help her friend. She is not obligated to open up her home to the boyfriend and the dogs, but she made it clear that her friend had a place to stay if she wanted to take it. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. I hope that none of you have ever found yourself in a similar situation, where you faced housing insecurity, but if you have, feel free to share your personal stories below. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article featuring a woman who refused to let her homeless boyfriend stay with her, you can find that story right here. 

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Image credits: Sherise Van Dyk (not the actual photo)

Readers overwhelmingly agreed that this woman was right to stand her ground, noting that it might be time to end this friendship

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