<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian women unable to afford sanitary items are resorting to stealing or using household items like bread instead of pads as the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/cost-of-living" rel="" target="" title="cost-of-living crisis"><span>cost-of-living crisis</span></a><span> deepens.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aussies-urged-to-work-from-home-as-fuel-prices-rise/459e7107-af66-4d82-849c-25eb2604abce" rel="" target="_blank" title="As the price of fuel surges to unaffordable levels"><span>As the price of fuel surges to unaffordable levels</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/interest-rates" rel="" target="_blank" title="consecutive cash rate hikes"><span>consecutive cash rate hikes</span></a><span> stretch bank accounts further, many women are being forced to choose between period products and other essentials.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One woman in regional </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="_blank" title="Victoria"><span>Victoria</span></a><span> said she had been using bread to manage her period before coming to charity Share the Dignity for help, while some have used wadded up toilet paper, Chux wipes or old towels.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-24-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/a6d7c67d-9a69-4279-88eb-985ccda7fb13" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Zombie ships' pass through Strait of Hormuz, Trump postpones strikes</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/medicare-phishing-scam-warning-issued-over-scam-texts-from-mygov/12e206db-f6cf-45a4-9a4d-140292912798" target="_blank"><strong><span>Warning issued over fresh wave of scam texts pretending to be from Medicare</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Others have needed to shoplift to enjoy the basic dignity of pads or tampons.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's a problem impacting the majority of people who menstruate.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/cost-of-living-crisis-australian-women-cant-afford-sanitary-items-as-petrol-prices-soar/c5214cfc-0d28-49f2-829b-a8658339f285" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some 64 per cent of Australians who need period products have struggled to afford them, according the the charity's Bloody Big Survey.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When somebody really struggled to fuel their car up at $1.95, what do you think $2.95 is going to do?" Share the Dignity founder and managing director Rochelle Courtenay said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Especially to women who already put themselves last."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Courtenay has urged her own staff to work from home as petrol prices near $3 per litre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The existing cost of living issues compounded by the war in the Middle East has meant the number of people needing charity from </span><a href="https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="Share the Dignity "><span>Share the Dignity</span></a><span> has ballooned to unexpected numbers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Traditionally, Share the Dignity offers period care products to women experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Courtenay said the period poverty crisis has spilled out across the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She warned even those with incomes above $100,000 were facing the problem.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cyclone-narelle-could-reach-perth-in-rare-southward-charge/59051576-0357-44cb-b89e-88270336f3c1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Millions on alert as cyclone could hit Australia again in rare phenomenon</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is going to affect so many more people, I'm scared for what's coming," Courtenay said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And nobody wants to admit that they've got their period and that they cannot afford basic essentials.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's so much shame in that."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charity's survey also found that one in four women wear period products for longer than recommended due to spiralling costs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Courtenay said this is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of period poverty.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That is only going to harm you from a toxic shock perspective, but also but also the anxiety that comes with that," Courtenay said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And I'm scared hearing about women having to even think about using bread in their underwear.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is really then too much for Share the Dignity.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We can't get period products in the hands of everybody that needs them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-iran-updates-oil-futures-trade-suspicious-betting-activity-usa-world-news/1061ef6b-5fef-401c-b469-98016ccdb9c3" target="_blank"><strong><span>Minutes before Trump's announcement, $800 million in trades made on oil prices</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Share the Dignity is calling on the federal government, state governments and councils to take action on period poverty.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charity also urging businesses to provide free products for staff.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The aim is to treat menstrual products with the same urgency and importance as toilet paper.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charity's March dignity drive, which takes places at Woolworths stores, is coming to an end, but only 26 per cent of the target has been met.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Share the Dignity hosts another drive in August but this month's drive will likely not bring in enough period products to last until then.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're giving a woman a warm jacket or a pair of shoes and that lasts a few years. This is a monthly problem," Courtenay said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And it's not going away because the price of fuel's gone up.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Right now, we just need everybody in Australia who can afford it, to donate."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>