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Well, this doesn't please me.

A women's shelter in Rock Hill has closed due to lack of funds, as explained in the State newspaper.

This really is sad, as women who are homeless are at a greater risk of becoming victims of violence than men in the same situation. Not that that's an excuse, like, oh, the guys can take care of themselves, but across the nation there are consistently more programs and shelters available to men. This problem is true here in Columbia as well, where I used to do some volunteering at the shelters, which were all exclusively for men at the time.

Even more unfortunate is the lack of family shelters. The separation of males and females at shelters is designed to reduce the likelihood of problems occurring and to protect women during times of vulnerability (showering, sleeping, etc.). However, when there are no family shelters available, men and women may be separated by long distances, and losing their one remaining source of support. The situation is really quite sad.

All of this is of course confounded by our society's strict adherence to the myth of the meritocracy. If you work hard, you will prosper, regardless of other factors, and if you've fallen on hard times, well, I guess you didn't do something right. So if you're homeless, I guess you did something to get there, so why provide you with a shelter, or government services to help you get back on your feet? Sometimes I'm just so... disappointed.

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