When my bloke went to prison I was ditched by friends and judged by strangers, now I hook inmates up with penpals
A WOMAN has revealed how she set up a community to write letters to inmates after her own husband ended up in prison.
Leni, 31, known as Jail Life Wife, from New South Wales, admits that she was quick to judge those inside until her own man was behind bars and it completely changed her outlook.
And while her hubby Jay was subjected to harsh criticisms from local media, she found herself tarnished with the same brush.
Writing for Love What Matters she explains: “Friends and family dropped off like dead flies and I become neglected from society for being in this position.
“I was judged and ridiculed for standing by a man who made a mistake, I questioned, ‘If I am feeling this way, how do the actual offenders feel?’”
It was this thought that led her to start up her letter writing community, reaching out to offenders no matter what the crime.
She reached out to fellow “jail wives” setting up and set up her blog, encouraging others to act as a penpal to someone inside.
Leni says that by writing to an inmate, you help boost their mental health and stimulate their brain, and has now helped over 100 inmates get set up with penpals, as well as writing to them herself.
The mum-of-five allows women to use her PO BOX for safety reasons and now even sells jail themed postcards on the side.
She adds: “I believe in second chances and rehabilitation as I witness it first hand alongside my husband.
“We all make mistakes, these men or women were just caught.”
Jay is halfway through serving his four year and ten month sentence for assault.
She and Jay are allowed a six minute phone call each morning and also use letters to keep in touch.
Sadly the couple's youngest has only known his dad inside.
Speaking to New Idea, Leni explains: "My littlest… doesn't have a relationship with his daddy as we barely see him, maybe once every ifive months.
"My kids know everything about jail. They understand daddy did something wrong and if you do something wrong in life… you can go to jail.
"I'm so honest and open about it all to them."
Writing in her blog she adds: “No matter what is said or done nothing can break him. He's the strongest soul I know.
“His own demons didn't succeed. He knows I'm psychically and mentally capable to raise 5 kids alone and f***ing do it like a boss!
“Our children still adore him and so do I. No hurdle will ever be high enough to stop me. He would do anything for his children.”
In other relationship news, this woman quit her job to make her husband's lunches and lay out his clothes.
And lockdown put this woman's dating life on hold until she started trying dating apps.
Plus the latest sex trend is ‘spite porn’ where people can pay an adult star to send a message to naughty exes.
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