The ones we saw on the streets last week didn't look like theyd gone without any meals. They were all sitting around without shoes on, but their feet were spotless. I have seen genuine homeless people and they do not compare with the one's to be seen in and around Beni (IMO). In fact last year we were up early for an excursion and as we drove past the entrance to the indoor market, two "homeless" women with babies got out, threw their shoes into the car, waved the driver off and sat down to beg for the day.
Sorry, but we just ignored them.

Sorry, but I forgot to mention the car they got out of was a newish Mercedes.

CazzMicknTom wrote:

two "homeless" women with babies got out, threw their shoes into the car, waved the driver off

I've also seen that happen, but I saw the 'homeless' women get out of a posh car in the area arund the Outdoor Market on a Sunday. They also removed their shoes and also took off posh looking clothing to reveal 'tatty' clothes beneath. The men in the car then handed over thier 'props', two babies and that completed thier 'disguise'. Needless to say they never got a euro from me.

I forgot to add, whilst I appreciate their are some genuine cases of homelessness and hardship, many of the so called 'homeless' that you will see dotted around all over Benidorm are not homeless at all. They are not Spanish either, well most of them are not. They operate a 'business' preying on the good nature of the tourist and holiday maker who will usually be in a good mood, with their 'guard' dropped and can actually make thousands of euros throughout the year simply from sitting on the floor on street corners clutching an infant holding out their hands and putting on a sad face.

Take a good look at the so called 'dirt' on their faces, you can clearly see that it is not dirt at all, but smudged make-up. Why would they have spotlessly clean feet from supposedly walking around barefoot all day begging, but dirty faces?

(Inspector Morse strikes again )

I'm more Juliet Bravo!!

The only ones I ever give to these days are people that you can see are disabled. Even then I suppose they could still be being used as a "front" for a larger group, but I know that nobody wishes to be disabled so I do always tend to give in those circumstances. But like the other posters on here, I too have seen immaculately robed & made-up ladies being dropped off by car, and also meeting up again later in various places, all looking happy...very much like we do on our Hols actually...and isnt it strange that on their littles pieces of card...they always seem to have either 3 children or 3 brothers and sisters...very consistant if nothing else! Or are we all just cynics!!! ...No dont think so either!

Best Regards - Taggy

one word comes to mind.....
Trash.

sanji

Taggy wrote:

I too have seen immaculately robed & made-up ladies being dropped off by car

And something else to bare in mind....why does it always seem to be females that are 'homeless'? I don't see as many 'homeless' male beggars as I do female 'homeless' beggars in Benidorm. Might that be because if you saw a male with a child you might not be so willing to donate some of your hard earnt holiday moneyto them? Is it because the sight of a 'poor' 'single' 'down and out' female clutching an infant will have a more powerful effect at tugging on your compassion strings?

Many of these so called 'homeless' are nothing of the sort, but as it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between the genuine 'in need' and the con artists, it really is best not to give anything at all as 'cruel' as that may appear.

I know that Spain does not have the same kind of welfare system that Britain has

To go back to the original question......

Actually Spain does have a very good welfare system and there are various organisations just like in Britain, that look after the disabled and incapacitated...namely O.N.C.E.
This organisation looks after people who are disabled, particularly the blind, and this organisation finds employment like selling the lottery tickets for example for these people.

Anyone in legal work has money taken out of their wages by the state in a system called I.N.E.M...this system then pays for people who find themselves out of work.
For example...you must have paid into it for at least 365 days and then you receive 90 percent of your wages for 4 months...so if you earnt 1000 Euros a month and find yourself unable to find work, then you will receive from the state, 900 Euros per month for 4 months...and they look for you another job....after refusing 3 times any job they have found you, then they stop the payments.....after that you can claim off the state for money from the various organisations, similar to a hardship fund.
They also run various courses to get you into employment

There is absolutely no reason for any Spanish person to beg, the ones who are begging are illegal immigrants who have no papers and no means of support, normally, they are part of organised gangs.
They chose to enter Spain with No papers and they chose not to pay into the system.

The Spanish government last year, gave residency papers to thousands of illegals with a vision that to make these people legal, then they would find employment and consequently then pay "tax" into the system.....unfortunately, it seems some took the papers but still do not want to work...this has cause some problems amongst the Spanish politicians.

It is estimated that 60,000 illegals have entered Spain in the last 4 months alone.

The Spanish law is complicated...it is not a crime to beg , it is also not a crime to be a prostitute...the Spanish constitution gave people the right to do what they want with their body.
Whilst being a prostitiute is not illegal, it falls into a grey area of not being legal either....and anyone picking up a prostitute off the street is regarded as "guilty" as the prostitute.
Slightly off topic......after having an informative conversation about the Spanish constitution
Something else I found out the other night......anyone taking part in the activities of the potato\pea men, they are also as guilty as the tricksters themselves by the Spanish law, and this is why the pea men get away with it....because for anyone to report them, then they are as guilty for participating in the activity.

SanJi x

DORM, I think in these cases you just have to do what your heart tells you. A bit like you would in UK perhaps? If you are against begging of any kind, then I would stick with that in Spain too.

I choose to give to people begging, but as I find it impossible to differentiate, I just give my few euros away, and then that's it for that day

Thank you, very informative. Actually, I ignore the women with the signs anyway. Here are two examples where I am unsure. I have seen a man on the road near the indoor market, he has legs which do not seem to have formed properly - is he genuine? Another man I saw regularly on my last visit, (first two weeks in June), sat playing a mouth organ - what about him?

A little aside. Sanji, you were in Benidorm while Julie and I were, we wish that we had teeshirts which said "Has anyone seen Sanji"

I have seen a man on the road near the indoor market, he has legs which do not seem to have formed properly - is he genuine? Another man I saw regularly on my last visit, (first two weeks in June), sat playing a mouth organ

It`s quite simple really.....if they are deformed, then they will be looked after by the state...that is Spanish Nationals....it wont be a fantastic rate to live on, probably equivilant to our "dole".
I saw them all the other night sat on the steps of the indoor market, eating ham, tomatoes and bread...drinking beer and smoking.

Old people (Spanish Nationals) are actually treat better than old people in Britain.

After meeting one of our members this morning and asking her permission, I`d like to tell you why I wrote Trash yesterday.....

Yesterday me and the hubby went to a funeral in Benidorm, the members father had died the day before, and we had met him 6 weeks ago. R.I.P.
Whilst we (the mourners) were waiting for the priest to bless the coffin outside the church, before it was taken away in the hearse, we had a woman, probably aged 20 years old who had the audacity to come hand cupped begging amongst the mourners.
I discreetly told her to off and to have some respect.......I could give her nearly 40 years in age difference and a good days hard work would do her no harm....she told me to pee off back in English

They are trash and scum to come amongsts mourners, and even Mr Sanji who is not a religious man, he was pretty annoyed with her, for having no respect.

SanJi x

Good on you Sanji, i would have done the same. I never give to any of the beggers in Benidorm, especially the young women with babies, i have seen them sitting out untill at least 4 in the morning, i feel so sorry for them babies, they should be wrapped up and in bed they must earn a good living, otherwise they wouldn't sit there everyday. Last year an oldish lady used to do a flamenco show, she would sing and dance outside every Restaurant in Finestrat and then when she was finished she went round with the hat, well she was really funny and quite good ( i think she was a pro in her younger days) my boys liked giving her a few Euro's and i didn't mind becouse she did entertain us , when she had enough money she would buy her mum and herself an icecream, so i liked her, but the beggers........ no way.
crystalxx

If you give to those Romanian women you are only doing one thing, ensuring that when that poor, drugged up, baby finally has the good luck to die, she will replace it with another one.

Some might find it offensive and difficult to agree that it is ever "good luck" when a baby dies. However, as the original question has now been answered, this would probably be a good point to close the thread, before discussion moves further in the direction of so many previous similar topics.

David