Post #3633850

2026-07-06 15:51 UTC

A followup to this post: https://chitter.xyz/@ruawhitepaw/116538959417722052 My friend is a Portuguese citizen whose only current residency is with her "family". She is a victim of domestic abuse and long-term sexual exploitation at the hands of said family. She is heavily traumatised, self-harmy and at times suicidal. She is also trans, intersex, autistic, disabled. She has now been staying with me in the Netherlands for almost three weeks. We still haven't really been able to find a solution. She doesn't seem to be eligible for refugee status here, but we also don't know where in Portugal she would be safe. I do not feel ok sending her back without some kind of guarantee of appropriate shelter. 1/2

Replies (3)

@LunaDragofelis@void.lgbt 2026-07-06 18:00

@ruawhitepaw@chitter.xyz both Portugal and the Netherlands are EU countries, so immigration status probably isn't a big problem. It seems like the best solution would be some kind of permanent housing, like a rented apartment, and the obstacle to that is probably mainly money. Am I right with these assumptions?

Open ##3633844
@ruawhitepaw@chitter.xyz 2026-07-06 15:52

Because of her identity and issues, she cannot simply be put in any shelter, she needs specialised care. She was housed in a government-sponsored shelter before, which housed her with *men* and she was attacked by one of them. She refuses to go back to those shelters. She also cannot go back to her "family". She is effectively homeless. I am providing the only shelter and monetary support that she has right now. But I am on a disability budget myself, also struggling to stay afloat both financially and mentally, and can't keep doing this. It's urgent that she can go somewhere as soon as possible to relieve my own limited means/spoons. 2/2

Open ##3644482
@ruawhitepaw@chitter.xyz 2026-07-06 17:38

Additionally, if there is anyone in the Netherlands who can provide (temporary) support or aid, that would also be very welcome.

Open ##3644486