Girls in UK are 'using socks because they can't afford sanitary towels'

Girls from poor backgrounds in the UK are resorting to using socks because they can’t afford to buy sanitary towels or tampons. Teachers have been left buying tampons for their students or arranging supplies to be brought in from charities, following the rise in truancy among teenage girls during their period, according to The Guardian.

Charities told the paper that the problem is happening in cities and rural areas across the country, with girls missing school or using makeshift protection if they’re on their period.

Freedom4Girls, a charity based in Leeds, reportedly was contacted by a local school, who were concerned about the number of girls missing lessons.

The school asked the charity if they’d be able to provide sanitary protection to their female students as they do for women in Kenya.

Since then, more schools have reportedly come forward asking charities for help.

Hayley Smith, founder of Flow Aid, a campaign working to provide free sanitary products to the homeless, told The Guardian: ‘Teenagers and young girls are being forced to wrap or stuff toilet paper down their knickers, to prevent them from bleeding all over themselves while at schools.

‘The cost of sanitary products are just too much for some girls and their families, and it’s leading to missing school and it’s putting their health at risk.’

‘It’s absolutely despicable in the 21st century that girls are being forced to comprise their education simply because an absolute necessity is unavailable and not affordable.’

Smith said she is now looking at working with distribution channels to help get supplies to students and is also looking at creating a drop off or donation point where people can donate products to schools.

Rosy Candlin, from Every Month, a campaign working to bring menstrual products to the homeless in Manchester said often girls use socks instead or skip school altogether.