Eva’s Story
Eva is a young woman who faced a traumatic and abusive childhood, leading to homelessness. Despite years of hardship and a lack of support, Eva's story is one of resilience and hope. With the help of hyh and other local charities, she found a safe place to live, received emotional and practical support, and began to heal from her past. Her experience highlights the impact of family breakdown on homelessness and the power of a caring community in helping young people rebuild their lives.
Younger years
Every young person deserves a supportive, caring upbringing, but Eva’s childhood was far from that. She grew up in a home filled with trauma and abuse. She was one of four children raised by their single mother and various boyfriends. Eva often missed school due to injuries and was told to keep quiet about what was happening at home. When she was just seven years old, she remembers sitting under the table with a knife trying to kill herself. Her sister found her and took the knife away from her.
Eva developed a very unhealthy relationship with food. There were days when there was nothing to eat, and other times when her mother would force-feed her until she was sick. This confusing relationship with food took a toll on Eva’s emotional and physical well-being.
At 15, Eva made a brave escape. During a family holiday, she escaped in the middle of the night and found the nearest police station, refusing to return home.
From there, she spent several years in care placements before eventually moving into a local hostel. Life started to look up for Eva, but she didn’t trust anyone. She never made friends or told staff what she had been though, in fear that she would not be believed. She got herself a job she loved and started to look to the future. Despite this positive step, Eva faced more abuse that shattered her hopes once again.
Finding a safe home
When hyh began to support Eva, she had no family or friends to turn to. hyh worked tirelessly to find her safe housing and support. After weeks of advocating for her, the hyh Outreach team helped secure a place in temporary accommodation for Eva. hyh referred Eva to a local counselling service for young people, who, within just weeks, offered their support to address her trauma.
Building trust with Eva was not easy. She had endured so much, and understandably, she was fearful. But with time, Eva began to open up. Her support worker stated, “It was humbling to know that Eva trusted me.’
Alongside securing safe and suitable accommodation, hyh also supported Eva to sort out her income and debts she owed. hyh’s worker offered practical and financial advice and supported Eva to seek medical help for her mental health.
Thanks to the unwavering determination from hyh and other local charities, Eva’s new home was filled with everything she needed to feel safe and secure.
Looking Forward
Eva’s worker states: ‘As an outreach worker I couldn’t change the awful things that Eva had been through, but I was able to show her that the world does still have people out there that genuinely do care and believe what she had to say.’
Though Eva’s past will always be a part of her, hopefully the support she’s received has given her the chance to look toward a brighter future. Homelessness is often caused by family breakdown, but with the right help, young people can be supported to rebuild their lives.