Shelters cannot survive on 'goodwill' alone. The raw human dynamics I witnessed in disaster-stricken areas.

Do you know the real rules of a place called an evacuation center?

Hello.

When a major earthquake or disaster occurs, do you think that going to an evacuation center means you are 'safe for now'?

Of course, there is no doubt that it is a place to protect your life.

However, when you listen to the real voices of those who have actually spent time there, you find complex human relationships and harsh rules that cannot be explained away by 'goodwill' alone.

So that you don't regret it later, thinking, 'That's not how it was supposed to be.'

And to protect your precious self and the hearts of your beloved family.

Today, based on earnest personal stories posted online, I would like to talk in detail about the 'front and back' of evacuation centers.

It will be a slightly long story, but I have packed it with valuable wisdom that will help you make decisions when 'that time' eventually comes.

Please, read this through to the end as a piece of writing to protect your own future.

Impositions in the name of 'justice' will take away your place

In evacuation centers, people sometimes appear who are called 'justice warriors'.

They may forcibly impose the rules they believe are correct on the people around them.

For example, a pop-up tent you brought in to protect your privacy.

The moment someone finds it, there are people who will decide its use on their own, saying, 'Let's make this a nursing room for everyone.'

Important equipment that you worked hard to prepare and carried with great effort for yourself and your family.

Before you know it, it is confiscated as 'everyone's property'.

Such absurdities can happen calmly in the extreme conditions of an evacuation center.

'Lending' something and 'having it taken away' are completely different, aren't they?

Asserting your rights firmly is never selfish or stingy.

Please keep the strength in your heart from now on to be able to say with a firm attitude, 'This is necessary for my family's health.'

Smartphones are bundles of personal information. Be wary of attempts to confiscate them.

Even more surprisingly, it is said that in some shelters, there are leaders who try to collect everyone's smartphones and mobile batteries in the name of 'equality.'

The reason given is that 'it is unfair if some people have them and others do not,' but this is extremely dangerous.

Your smartphone is packed with your precious memories, personal information you don't want anyone to see, and the means of communication that keep you connected to life.

Handing that over to someone you don't even know is something that should never happen in the first place, right?

If such an atmosphere of 'confiscation' arises, you do not need to hand it over by force.

Saying 'I left my smartphone at home' to get through it is also a perfectly valid piece of wisdom for protecting yourself.

Precisely because you are in an extreme situation, you must manage your own precious belongings yourself.

Please do not let go of that fundamental right.

Are sanitary products 'obscene'? Friction with generations that lack understanding.

For women, one of the most pressing issues in shelter life is sanitary products.

However, surprisingly, there is a story about an elderly leader who saw the sanitary napkins that arrived as relief supplies and sent them back, saying, 'We don't need such obscene things.'

For us, these are essential daily necessities that are indispensable for both hygiene and health.

However, due to differences in education and environment, there are times when the operations are managed by a generation that misunderstands them as 'luxury items' or 'something shameful.'

Without sanitary napkins, you cannot even move around, and sanitary conditions will deteriorate.

To prevent trouble caused by such misunderstandings, it is very important for women to unite and raise their voices.

Clearly state, 'These are necessary for us to live.'

Even if you don't have the courage alone, if you coordinate with the women around you, that voice will surely be heard.

The cry of the heart hidden in children's 'inappropriate play'.

There are also many children at the evacuation centers.

Some adults might feel frustrated by children running around or making loud noises in the cramped gymnasium.

In particular, seeing children playing 'earthquake' or 'tsunami' games might make you want to yell at them for being 'inappropriate'.

However, this is actually a form of 'mental care' for the children.

Children who have experienced something truly terrifying try to heal their emotional wounds by recreating the experience through 'play'.

Behavior that looks inappropriate to adult eyes might actually be proof that they are trying their hardest to live.

Of course, the rights of those who want to rest quietly are also important.

That is precisely why we need to urge local governments and management to separate areas into 'noise-permitted zones' and 'quiet zones' from the start.

Understanding each other's circumstances is the first step toward preventing the small society of an evacuation center from falling apart.

Are 'people from the next district' not allowed in? The trap of closed communities

In the panic immediately following a disaster, the management of evacuation centers can become extremely exclusionary.

There are families who were turned away at the entrance, told, 'This place is for people from the XX district, so people from the next district must leave.'

Even when it is the only evacuation center within walking distance, they are rejected due to formal administrative boundaries.

Such sad things are actually happening.

While large, publicized evacuation centers are overflowing with supplies, small, non-designated centers sometimes do not even receive a single cup of water.

This is called the 'evacuation center gap'.

To avoid such situations, it is surprisingly effective to greet your neighbors and become 'acquainted' with them on a daily basis.

Just being recognized as 'the lady from that house' can dramatically lower the hurdles for being accepted.

When the time comes, the thing that ultimately saves you might not be the administrative system, but the 'compassion' of the person living next door.

'Petty theft' by women and self-defense to protect yourself

Many people think, 'I need to be careful of men,' but in reality, theft between women is not uncommon.

Tissues for wiping a child's nose, napkins kept carefully, or small amounts of food.

I have received accounts of people having these stolen by the woman sitting next to them the moment they looked away.

Perhaps because everyone is struggling, the sense of entitlement that 'a little bit won't hurt' drives people to commit theft.

Carrying a personal alarm is a given, but carrying strong weapons like stun guns is something to reconsider.

If, by any chance, it is taken from you by the perpetrator, it could become a weapon turned against you.

The best crime prevention is, after all, 'keeping valuables on your person at all times' and 'maintaining appropriate cooperation with those around you.'

If you notice suspicious behavior, consult with someone you trust nearby immediately.

Not being alone is the best form of self-defense.

The disparity in bathing and the harsh labor imposed on men

As life in an evacuation center drags on, issues regarding bathing and laundry arise.

In many places, women and children are prioritized, so by the time men are finally able to take a bath, the water is often cold and severely dirty.

Furthermore, most of the heavy lifting, such as cleaning up and transporting heavy supplies, falls on the men.

In an atmosphere where it is assumed that 'men should do it because they are men,' the men are also exhausted and worn out.

Whether or not people can say things like 'thank you for doing that' or 'it must be tough' to each other matters.

With just that small amount of consideration, the atmosphere of an evacuation center changes surprisingly.

Regardless of gender, everyone is a victim, and everyone is going through a painful experience.

I want to make sure we don't forget that premise.

The fear of secondary damage when the 'taut thread' snaps

While in the evacuation center, everyone is desperate.

There are those who work desperately for the sake of others, putting a lid on the sorrow of losing family or the shock of losing their homes.

They force themselves to pretend they are fine, saying, 'There are people who have it worse than me.'

However, the moment they leave the evacuation center and finally secure a space of their own,

many people find that the thread they were holding onto snaps, and they collapse from exhaustion.

Please do not think this is because your heart was weak.

It is simply that your brain, having survived an extreme situation, has finally given you the signal that it is okay to rest.

When you are struggling, it is okay to say that you are struggling.

Please be the first person to show yourself the kindness you deserve for working so hard.

Mental care is just as important as physical stockpiling—no, perhaps even more so—when it comes to disaster preparedness.

Preparation is an act of self-love

Thank you so much for reading this far.

Hearing these realistic stories about evacuation centers may have made some of you feel anxious.

However, knowing is the first step toward preparing.

'Protect your own belongings,' 'Exchange greetings with those around you,' 'Do not force yourself to pretend you are fine.'

Everything I have talked about today is a form of mental preparation that you can start right now.

We never know when a disaster might strike, but if you wear the bulletproof vest known as knowledge, your future will be much more secure.

I truly hope that you and your loved ones can spend your days in peace.

Let's prepare together, one step at a time.