I was homeless for a while. i was wit a boyfriend and we were suppose to get married, but never got to it. he found a new girlfriend and wanted me out. being he was the only one on the lease i didn’t have a choice.
I was worked at a mail fulfillment warehouse, you know you pay shipping and handling, well they are the handling. they changed contracts and layed off half, and i was in that half.
i had to survive jobless and homeless. i went through savings in days and ate what i found in trash or left on tables.
the day i met him, i was at the Chester buss terminal begging for money. i was having a good day, when a cop threatened to take me in for panhandling. while he argued wit me, a man offered to take me to lunch. this was an offer i couldn’t refuse.
we talked about my life, and he offered to help me out wit dinner and a place to stay and if you every lived on the street Mama saying don’t talk to strangers means nothing.
Joe took me to his place and i could use the bathroom and shower plus wash my clothes. he let me raid the fridge and we ordered pizza, and we watched TV. he set me up in his couch. i might be poor but i don’t steal from someone helped me!
no one does nothing for nothing.
by the next night, he wanted rent, and expected me to spread for it. you don’t have a lot of pride when you have nowhere to go.
i lied there like a blow up doll and let him do all the work even his spit. he refused to get a condom and it was nothing to me.
i had a place and food for the night.
this became the norm, and i had food and shelter for it.
I didn’t expect that was my living rather than college.
he had me as his entertainment for over 3 years where i had to do whatever act he wished when he did. one day he took a friend from work home and paraded me out for him to check out front and back. Joe told me to take my dress off and we had sex for his friend. he had me finish his jacking myself and let his friend go home. Joe never introduced him even.
you put up with a lot until you hit that point. that point was when Joe came in my room and said he lost a lot at poker night and he promised id pay it off. i could not imagine how with little money put away. he let the 6 men from his card game in my room. i could accept what they wanted or they would take it anyways!
it was after dawn before they went away.
it was only a couple of months after that that i started getting sick. yes, after going to the free clinic, it was morning sickness. i never said it to Joe, but i had to go.
I packed my things while Joe was at work and left for the bus. i went away from my hometown and him. and went to get public assistance and all. i had already decided but i gave the boy up for a better life.
people say you do what you have to, but ill say to avoid what you have to.
Bless you.
— Angie, age 21
Miss Angie – the ways in which you are a HERO are so numerous that I will have to keep it to a few! I have been homeless and had only a couch so I know – the offer of a sandwich is gold and just watching the tv is heaven!
I REALLY understand what you mean when you say – ” I have reached the point!” I have been there, done that, bought the T-shirt etc”
You had no choice – you were smart and wise to work with Joe in the beginning but he as we see so often, he was not a savior but a criminal. Agreements are actually ok in life, but Criminal Joe destroyed the agreement of love and help and turned in into violence and rape. None of that is YOUR FAULT – and it does not matter if you were dependent on him or anything. He knew what he was doing and he was careful and bided his time to get what he could. But YOU – the HERO put a wrench into his plans! You destroyed his intentions ! – GO ANGIE!! and – this is hard – Angie you are the best mother in the world – you will hear that in this world or the next – whichever comes first because you have a beautiful boy that you saved ! You are a great mother and a HERO – as you wish to help your fellow man – thank you for being a role model!
Dear Angie – thank you so much for sharing your story. First of all, what happened to you was not your fault. There is no judgement here for going somewhere warm to sleep. It hurts my heart so much that Joe would take advantage of you the way he did and you didn’t deserve it. You deserved (and still deserve) kindness and love and support. I am so proud of you for leaving; that must have been a very hard thing to do. If you can I would really encourage you to talk to someone about what you went through. There are places that offer free counseling in some cities; you can check out the “Get Help” section of this site for possibilities wherever you are now. If there isn’t anything low cost, please know that I’m thinking of you and I hope you are able to find ways to process what happened. You are so brave and so strong and I’m sending you lots of love! Alexis