Mum-of-one Jasmine Borst was homeless and sleeping in the parks of Hamilton just under a decade ago, almost $30,000 in debt because of an ex-boyfriend and suffering crippling health issues. Today, the domestic and sexual abuse survivor is bravely preparing to stand on stage as a contestant for the Mrs Waikato beauty pageant, proving to the world and herself she’s more than her past.
“I had a pretty horrendous beginning, but now I’m working hard to make sure I have a better future for my son and I,” says Jasmine, 26, mother to Ashton, six, who grew up between Hamilton and the Coromandel in households with substance abuse.
“I have six brothers and one sister, and we each have different dads. I moved around a lot. I didn’t start talking until I was six because of what was going on at home and I was bullied from kindergarten throughout school.”
At 15, Jasmine was suffering symptoms of severe endometriosis, a painful disease that causes tissue to grow outside the uterus. But when she went to the doctors, telling them she’d passed out from the agony, professionals suggested her symptoms were all in her head.
By 17, she had been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder. Jasmine was homeless, living on the streets of Hamilton for about six months, sleeping rough and washing in public park toilets.
“I’d been engaged to a man who mistreated me,” shares Jasmine, who needs to raise at least $500 for Waikato Women’s Refuge and Brave, a sexual assault charity as part of the pageant. “He took my car and everything I had, while leaving me with $27,000 in debt because he took out a loan against my name, before leaving me for my friend who he took to Australia.
“I didn’t know any different and just thought, ‘OK, I have to pay it all back now, so I had no money for a rental and just slept in the parks. I rented a room that I did massage out of and it got me some cash for food, but I wasn’t allowed to stay in it at night.”
Jasmine admits she doesn’t remember a lot from her time on the streets because of her poor mental health, but she credits an old musician friend for driving past and stopping to offer her a place to stay. He helped get her on a benefit, which she didn’t know existed, and she started to play music.
“But he passed away from a heart attack while performing on stage and I had to leave the house I’d been staying in as it was under his name,” says the singer-songwriter, who regularly performs at bars
and events around the Waikato, playing a mix of blues, folk, rock and original music.
“I was a little messed up in the head at that point and stayed at a family member’s house for a few days.”
It was at the funeral of her late friend that Jasmine met an older man who said he knew her mother – and she accepted an offer to stay on his couch. After a few nights, Jasmine was sleeping in his bed and by the time it dawned on her he was abusive, it was too late.
“I tried to run away and he dragged me down the road,” she recalls. “I finally took an opportunity one morning when he got up for work and left his phone. I rang my mother and stepfather to come get me.”
Jasmine tried to go to Women’s Refuge, but there was no room for her and so she stayed with her mum’s friend for a month while she saved for a rental.
When she welcomed Ashton almost seven years ago, Jasmine’s focus turned to her little boy, who has autism and was diagnosed with global motor skill dysfunction at three, the age when he started learning to walk.
“Everything about him is delayed massively, like his reading, writing, speech and movement,” she explains. “Ashton has only just figured out how to climb upstairs. But he’s the most charismatic, social, outgoing and spontaneous kid. He’s so beautiful and very caring, and at school if anyone gets hurt, he’s the first to support them. And he loves babies.”
Having son Ashton was a turning point for the young mum.
When she signed up for Mrs Waikato, which will showcase contestants’ poise, elegance and confidence on stage, Jasmine did it as a testament to how far she has come. She also wanted to show her son what it means to be brave.
“Being a Mrs Waikato candidate has given me enough courage to stand up and make a difference publicly and within myself, while showing me I can step out of my comfort zone to be confident,” she enthuses.
“I never thought I was going to be good enough, worthy or pretty enough to do this, but I want to show my son that absolutely anything’s possible.”
Help is here
If you’re struggling with your mental health, text or call 1737 at any time to speak to a trained counsellor for free. In an emergency, dial 111. Shine’s domestic violence Helpline is 0508-744-633 and takes calls 24/7. For help with sexual harm, call 0800 044 334, text 4334 or visit safetotalk.nz.
