by Emma Ballingall
One in five women have had to improvise when it comes to period products.

Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins said this Share the Dignity statistic was "quite frankly not good enough in modern society" when she visited Warragul on Thursday morning to announce free pad and tampon dispensing machines for West Gippsland.
The first regional centre to benefit in Victoria, seven dispensers were unveiled last week at Gippsland TAFE, Warragul and Drouin libraries, Baw Baw Skills Centre and West Gippsland Healthcare Group.
"These vending machines are a small step but they make a big difference," Ms Hutchins said at the Gippsland TAFE launch. "It's a thoughtful, practical initiative that helps remove barriers."
Sharing student experiences, Gippsland TAFE student support services manager Bonnie Healey said the announcement "goes far beyond period products" and removes "a real barrier to education".
Investigating frequent unexplained absences of a 17-year-old local student, Ms Healey said staff discovered she was staying home during her periods as she didn't have access to period products, "using toilet paper and isolation instead."
Another student, a peri-menopausal woman who was experiencing heavy and unpredictable periods, couldn't keep up with the cost of items and was risking her health by infrequent changing.
"These are just two student stories but we know there are many, many more that we don't see or who don't speak up," Ms Healey said. "That's why this initiative matters."
"Access to education should never be impacted by health," she added.
Ms Hutchins, speaking to a large gathering of TAFE staff and students, said public toilets were designed by men and offered free toilet paper. She questioned why essential period products were missing.
"We're playing catch-up and it is a world first," she said.
"We know it's absolutely needed."
"We want to take the stigma out of this. It is part of life."
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said she, like many other girls and women, could recall a story of being caught out and feeling humiliated.
"I was too scared to speak to somebody about needing help," Ms Shing said.
Instead of begging friends or strangers for help, Ms Shing said women could now grab free multipacks at various public spaces to maintain hygiene and avoid missing education, sport or jobs.
And, with the price of pads and tampons typically $6 to $8, she added it would also ease cost of living.
"This is a game changer," Ms Shing said. "It's about money, equality, dignity and removing that level of humiliation."
"Spread the word and make sure you do check out the machines," she said.
Ms Hutchins said the $23 million program would deliver free pads and tampons in about 700 easily accessible public spaces by early next year, saving women thousands of dollars.
She said 50 of the high-tech machines had been rolled out across the metropolitan region since late November, dispensing about 25,000 products.
Locations include major train stations, libraries, TAFEs, universities, aquatic centres, hospitals and healthcare facilities, with the State Library machines the most utilised.
Ms Hutchins said feedback indicated sports clubs were keen to get involved and discussions with shopping centres also were underway.
She said West Gippsland, together with Barwon region, were the first regional centres to benefit due to the work of local councils in getting on board and quickly identifying potential locations.
To view machine locations on an interactive map, visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/free-pads-and-tampons