Christmas is often an expensive time, and this year is probably more expensive than ever for many.
Two weeks ago, Anita Lesteberg, leader of the organization For an improvement in living standards (FØL Norge), said that the organization meets several people who he has to choose between food and medicine.
Last week, the Salvation Army was able to present a recent survey that proves it one in five say they don’t have the finances to cover the ever-increasing costs.
This week, the Red Cross also sent out a press release, saying it is ‘huge need for crisis aid before Christmas’.
– In many of the local Red Cross associations, the demand has more than doubled, says Pernille Lemming, head of the National Council for the assistance of the Red Cross, in the press release.
Sounding the alarm: Requires immediate action
Ask for help
Several have also turned to advertising platform Finn.no for help ahead of Christmas.
Dagbladet spoke to one of them: a single mother in her early twenties who, to protect her six-year-old son, does not want to reveal her real name.
We therefore refer to her here as “Nicole”.
On Finn.no’s “Help for Christmas” pages, “Nicole” posted an ad describing her situation.
– In previous years, I didn’t ask for help for Christmas, because the little man was so small and he didn’t quite understand what it was. Now the class is talking loud and quiet about Santa Claus, Christmas celebrations with extended family, presents and my son has started to look forward to all the magic of Christmas he has heard about, writes “Nicole”.
– I’d really like you to try some.
One in five is in trouble
– If you’re good to me
“Nicole” received several responses to the ad, but not all with the same good intentions.
– How much do you need to go upstairs?, a man asks the young mother of small children.
After seeing her ad on Finn.no, the man got in touch via Facebook to, apparently, offer “Nicole” help.
“Nicole” replies to the man with an amount she thinks would be enough, but at the same time describes that she doesn’t expect to receive the full amount, and is grateful for any help she can get.
– Good. If I give them to you, will you be happy?, writes the man, which makes the young mother wonder if it’s something he’s really willing to do.
– If you are good to me, writes the man.
– What do you mean?, “Nicole” asks back.
– A little warmth for me, describes the older man.
This is one of five or six such requests that the needy mother of young children has received, after asking for help on Finn.no.
The child’s mother doesn’t know the exact number, so she canceled the requests to avoid seeing them.
– I was so sick of all this, and I didn’t want to see it, says “Nicole”.
To try to meet the demands, write an update in the announcement.
– But those of you reaching out to trade help with ‘s*x’, ‘closeness’, ‘cuddles’ and ‘a little warmth’ can please stop doing so. Here I posted a vulnerable ad and came across questions about selling myself for Christmas help, writes “Nicole”.
Not even she is alone.
– People have to choose: food or medicine?
Food for sex
Last week the newspaper wrote Glamdalen about the anonymous woman “Linn”, who has gone through much the same experiences as “Nicole”.
However, “Linn” also received a number of messages from people who weren’t interested in helping, but rather criticized her for needing help.
– Most people are just digging to know how I got into this situation. They don’t want to help, but they set me up like a criminal. And the two offers I’ve received are for food for sex, “Linn” might say in Glåmdalen.
Both women also describe how difficult it is to decide whether to write an ad.
– It was long overdue to start making just an announcement for help. I did many rounds with myself before I dared, “Nicole” says to Dagbladet.
– But I thought that as long as my son has food on the table and warm clothes on him, it’s worth it, he continues.
– Bags are often empty of food
– Do not accept more than necessary
Despite the less pleasant questions, “Nicole” is still grateful for how many people have been willing to help.
– I had to send someone who made further contacts, he says.
Among the things she received, “Nicole” mentions memorabilia, a gift card, and money from Vipps.
– But I don’t accept more than necessary, as I want more people to have the opportunity to get help here, says the single mother.
– Not entirely noble intentions
Ellen Rykkja Gilbert is Senior Consultant in First Aid and Psychosocial Protection at the Red Cross.
She tells Dagbladet that it’s not an unknown phenomenon that some people choose to try and take advantage of those who seem vulnerable, and that this is something you need to be aware of when using services like Finn.no to seek help.
– There’s nothing wrong with accepting or offering help through, say, Finn.no, but then it’s important to remember that in these unregulated channels you can be met by people who don’t have entirely noble intentions, he says Gilbert to Dagbladet.
If you want to contribute but are afraid to use unregulated channels, Gilbert says, there are several alternatives.
It also asks anyone who receives objectionable messages to consider reporting them further.
– It is understandable that many find this type of message difficult to deal with, but I would advise everyone to consider whether they want to report the contents to the police, or at least notify Finn.no, says Gilbert.
– Necessary measures
To Dagbladet, Finn.no’s communications consultant Linda Glomlien says this is the fifth year the company has set up the mulight to run “Help for Christmas” ads.
Like Gilbert, Glomlien encourages anyone who experiences anything undesirable in connection with these ads to report it to the service.
– If anyone finds anything undesirable with their ad, we want the ad or advertiser to be reported to us at FINN so we can take the necessary action. It’s easy to hit a “report” button in our messaging service and on ads, says Glomlien.
This is absolutely necessary, says Glomlien, for Finn.no to be able to detect misuse of the service.
– We have zero tolerance for all harassment, but are very dependent on it being reported to us. If it is reported for the first time, we have an entire team manually reviewing these cases and assessing their severity level.
