Description
From the very first words, L'enfer d'une fille de rue plunges us into the harsh reality of a drug-addicted and homeless teenager in downtown Montreal. A runaway from a youth center, refusing authority, the system and reality, at 16, Isa-Belle is ready to put her life in danger to get her next fix... until she risks staying there. The road to come back from the dead will be harder than she expected. It's not just about not injecting her next hit that could be fatal... My journey from street junkie to a master's degree in psychosocial practice at UQAR is extraordinary to say the least. But my goal here is not to sensationalize or seek social recognition. I hope to inspire hope in other young people in their recovery and social reintegration process, as well as to raise awareness of the reality of the street, particularly the extent of the difficulty of getting out of it. Of course, I still sometimes experience completely absurd situations... I am always afraid of people's reaction to my HIV status, because I am no longer the junkie who didn't care because she wanted to die. I am a mother, a professional, a citizen involved in my community. My master's research plunged me directly into the heart of life story practices, following Gaston Pineau, and allowed me to give meaning to all the absurd parts of my life, to rebuild my identity. By offering my story, my commitment is to fight against social exclusion and serophobia. I want to give a voice, a face to young people on the street... and help all those struggling with addictions.
