@bo_sox: what about later? Sure, I can go bring her food a few times a day for a long time, but I won't always be around to get her food, and if I just get her some food for a few days, she'll just have more trouble being happy with what she has when I'm not giving her food anymore.
I have no problem, with giving her food, but the goal is to improve her life standards.
@PE: I know you're not being snarky. I also know the next step is to talk to her, in fact I probably should have done that already, too bad I thought of it too late (I walked past and I would want it to be as casual as possible. Also, because it's evening, I would end up struggling to choose when to go home and such. I don't want to seemingly reach out to her just to go to my warm bed 30 minutes later...), but I'm the kind of guy that at least wants to have some plan in such a situation, assuming she doesn't give me much to go by, because she isn't very willing to talk for example.
So for example, say I ask to sit down with her and do so. I ask how she is, she says 'fine...' or something like that, clearly not interested in telling what's up while there clearly is something. I ask her if she's hungry or thirsty, depending on her answer I may or may not go get something for her. If I do she may say thanks... Then there may be a potentially awkward silence... I can tell my name, ask hers...
And then? Maybe ask if she's looking for a job, and promise to ask around, but what if that's just giving her false hope? How can I get her a job as a 16-year-old schoolboy after all? Sure, I could try pulling some strings, but is this really the kind of person I want to give hope when the chance isn't really that large?
That's just an example. I could go on for quite a while but I suppose there's not much of a point. I'm not even looking for specific answers, I'm just looking for idea's, things to suggest, things that may help her, if the conversation doesn't seem to bear much fruit for whatever reason.
Yeah, that's vague... I'm not too sure what I expect to hear (well I do: nothing in particular). I just made the thread in the hope something useful is said. Just looking for tips I suppose.
And also to get the inevitable warnings to help me reconsider properly. Speaking of which...
@Octavious: I appreciate the warning, first of all. My initial reaction, though, is that I just want to sit next to a woman and make conversation if she's willing. I know there's a risk, but I've done more dangerous things for less worthy causes... I'm not ignoring your warning though. I'll definitely reconsider doing it.
As for judging, I mean that I won't be caring about how she got where she got and such, and will just be looking to help rather than finding out wether she messed up herself or something.
To go through your scenario's:
If she bursts into tears I would let her. Crying is okay, and I see no harm. I would probably say that too: it's okay to cry. If she cries she's presumably opening up so I would listen to what she has to say.
If she asks me for money, one thing's for sure, I won't give it unless she's got a very good reason. I would ask what she wants to do with it and perhaps buy what she wants to buy. If she insists, I would probably wish her a good day and be gone.
If she grabs onto me, I'm gone, perhaps even before she actually gets to me. I've got rather good reflexes.
If she tells me to fuck off, I would probably wish her a good day and fuck off.
Making things worse is of course the real risk. To be honest though, in this case I have trouble thinking of a realistic way to make things worse, long-term especially. I understand that I could piss her off ruining her day, but that's not too bad...
Could you help me see what you're thinking of there?
Also, I don't think she's neccesarily mentally ill, I said that's what your average passer-by would say.
yebellz: that's possible, but surely I'd have to talk to her to figure out who needs to know about her? And as I mentioned before, I don't want to give her the feeling that I'm betraying her trust because I'm telling those organisations something she told me in confidentiality or stuff like that. She would pretty much have to want that to happen before I make it happen.
@bo_sox again: I'm not sure about what you mean with being a paternalistic jerk about it.