JASMINE'S BRAVE STAND 'I WANT A BETTER FUTURE FOR MY SON'

The Hamilton woman has survived abuse and homelessness, now she's entering a beauty pageant to show her child anything is possible

Mum-of-one Jasmine Borst was homeless and sleeping in the parks of Hamilton M 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.