‘I always kept one eye open’: The experiences and impacts of

Table 9: Access to health services while sleeping rough (see Figure 2) 77 The fact that in the majority of cases, the perpetrator of the last incident experienced by respondents was a member of the public makes this more unsettling to read. [...] Shockingly, half (51%) of research problems and experiences of poor-quality participants experienced being physically Recent policies adopted by the Westminster of having nowhere safe to go and dealing accommodation, but the leading cause of government such as Everyone In and the with the traumas that led to the situation. [...] Members This can then lead to people sleeping rough and cold, malnutrition and the impact of of the public were responsible for 81% of Interactions with the police being pushed away from town centres and self-medicating with alcohol and drugs all instances when participants were threatened Despite the ongoing and repeated nature of busy areas, making it more difficult for them contribute to a wors. [...] Sleeping rough puts incredible used to think am I going to wake up in to be victims of crime and abuse4 and this police would be unlikely to do anything (63%), strain on people’s physical and mental health the morning is increased by the added vulnerability of because they feared repercussions from the and can leave them with multiple illness and sleeping rough. [...] of the unknown, the vulnerability of having that’ and so later on that morning, nowhere safe to go and dealing with the which as the Friday, I put everything Phones have become an important element traumas that led to the situation.