There is a taboo around periods and homelessness. It’s leaving women sleeping rough on the streets

“I wanted to make people uncomfortable a little bit, right?” said Dr Stephanie Barker, education director of the Centre for Homelessness Research and Practice at the University of Southampton.

Dr Barker and psychologists at the university recently conducted small-scale, but in-depth interviews with a group of homeless women around their experiences. They asked the homeless participants to take part in ‘photovoice’ research – a method which uses self-generated photos to spark discussion about experiences and feelings. The participants were not the ones Dr Barker wanted to make uncomfortable. It was everyone else.

The study showed that stigma, male-centric systems and structural neglect around homeless women’s menstrual health was a barrier. Talk around periods and consideration around the issues was largely out of sight and out of mind.

“We know it’s stigmatised and that was one of the biggest results that women talked about is that they’ve never been asked about their menstrual health,” said Dr Barker. “Do we even know what a normal period is? How would I know if there is something wrong when it’s not really talked about?”

Read more:

• Period poverty: Homeless women forced to steal tampons or use old clothes as period products
• Where to find free toiletries, period products and nappies in the UK
• Homelessness facts and statistics: The numbers you need to know in 2026

Period poverty is a global problem and one which women, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming people who menstruate, face every day in the UK. 

The photos shot by women in the study illustrate why. Trista took a photo of a toilet and some coins in her hand to demonstrate the difficulty in accessing sanitary products.

Elena captured a woman going behind bins in search of privacy. Bonnie took a photo of a sharps box in a toilet area, illustrating that women can be prevented from using public toilets due to a misconception that they want access to take drugs.

She said: “The homeless scene is so male dominated that women menstruating while homeless is such a minute point when it comes to the scene of being homeless.”

Dr Barker said the photos “would be a great way to really push people and challenge that stereotype that there is around periods”. She added: “It’s a normal thing that happens and that people have to deal with every month.”

The study recommends training for frontline workers and access to free sanitary products and public toilets. “I think probably first is for service leads and key workers to do a bit of reflection for themselves. Does this topic make you uncomfortable? And understanding why that is,” said Dr Barker.

“No judgement, we’re all products of our socialisation. We have beliefs and views of the world for reasons. But just exploring why, if I’m uncomfortable asking someone about their menstrual health, why is that? The more that we can bring that into the training for key workers and resources from commissioners for products and just bring that into the normal part of the service, the more it will help to ease that stigma.”

With Andy Burnham’s government pledging to end rough sleeping, the offer of a route off the streets must be a viable and considerate alternative. Speaking up about periods may seem like a small step but it could represents a key cultural shift.

“The government has recently made a welcome and bold commitment to end rough sleeping in the UK,” said lead investigator and PhD researcher Frances Greenway. “We’re calling for this ambition to include dignity for women experiencing homelessness – starting with listening to their lived experience and supporting their menstrual health needs.”

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