Would you bother reporting a flasher?

[ScurryHurry]

Dropped my 14 yr old Dd at dance tonight, parked up and a man crosses the road, stops directly behind my car, and gets his knob out (I was looking through rear view mirror).

I got out and basically told him to fuck off, which he did, there were a couple of people further up the road, but when I asked, they hadn't seen anything. I then just got on with my day. I didn't consider reporting it until I messaged DH who asked if I had. I have now filled in an online police report, but not sure what they can do really.

But, it got me thinking, if this happened/has happened to you, did you/would you report it?

I think I would. I’d have attempted to get a photo of him too, or hoped that my car cameras, or neighbourhood ring doorbell cameras would’ve caught him.

Yes. Flashers often become rapists.

Exactly This.
They get a thrill from it but then go looking for more excitement until it gets out of hand and they rape.

Yes I absolutely would. I was flashed as an 11 year old, it wasn't just a flash - he held his flaccid penis and wiggled it at me whilst saying here pussy pussy.

I didn't really understand the last bit. I was terrified and ran home. I never told a soul. I don't know why, it had made me feel so ashamed and embarrassed and there wasnt the openness back then regarding things.

I wonder how many other young girls he terrified or worse.

You still must report. YABVU if you don't.

Ah well done, I replied before I read this (guilty!).

These things do escalate and often happen in the same places. You may have saved your daughter from seeing him.

Try and write down as much of his description as you can whilst it’s still fresh in your mind

Well done. Glad they're taking it seriously.

You need to call 101 for the police in a non emergency situation.
111 is the NHS.

I did as it was happening (man wanking at the side of the road), I also shouted at the man.

The police didn’t come out but essentially told me the next day that because I hadn’t taken a photo there was nothing they could do. Despite it being on a main road with cameras around and me pointing out I didn’t think that was a sensible thing for a lone female to do on her own at night.

Glad you reported it.

When I was a child, I was flashed and chased by a crazy guy. I am still to this day traumatised by it. I wonder what he would have done to me if he caught me.

God that is depressing and outrageous. How fucking shit for you and your female staff.

I always think of Wayne Couzens now too, but the fact is, that this alone is bad enough and should be punished. This would be traumatic for so many women and girls.

I've been sexually assaulted 8 times over those almost 10 years at work

Always men,caught on very clear cctv,easy to identify,witnesses and solid proof it happened

Every fucking time,I've been pushed back out onto the shop floor while work ring the police

Every single time,they rock up (sometimes up to a week later),view the cctv have a chat with me and then leave with an air of 'what a waste of time that was'

(one did take a statement but made it clear he thought a 17 year old shoving his hand down my pants and his other hand up my top hadn't done much wrong and what a waste of time this was)

I stood there last time and said 'have you lot not learned from Sarah Everard?Wayne couzins started like this'

I got a half hearted shrug and 'not enough evidence' apparently when though there was witnesses and very clear cctv (but they 'did have a word' with one bloke)

A murder of a lady by one of their own (and the other cases after him) still isn't enough to make them do their jobs

Until very recently flashers were considered a bit of a joke and advice, even from other women, would be to either ignore them or make some witty comment about the size of their dicks. We now know (as if it wasn't fucking obvious) that men who expose themselves are sex offenders and likely to become rapists - if they aren't already. We must always report them, for what it's worth.

@DelboytrottersDnecklace My DD has suffered an unwanted incident with a man in a well known supermarket. She reported it. Staff in the shop did nothing. Police are doing nothing as cctv was wiped! No wonder women keep getting assaulted. Everyone is inept. They simply do not care.

We live in the countryside near woods. A new female neighbour saw a flasher in the woods and reported the incident to the police. The local Facebook page reacted with surprising speed (2 men!) to say said man runs away and is no harm to anyone. Just likes to be naked in the woods! What is anyone to make of this? Are women going to feel safe seeing him?

Then - last weekend. Police helicopter circling the area. Police out in force and access to woods closed off. Turns out they were searching for someone who is a “danger to himself”. Took them 5 hours to find him. I’m waiting to hear if it’s the same man. The police operation must have cost a vast amount of money. My DD and shop workers get virtually nothing!

Police called this morning as they want to do the interview sooner. I also got a call from victim support checking I was okay and if I needed any extra support, so I'm actually very impressed with how the local police have handled things so far.

@ScurryHurry The Met? My DD has had nothing.

The police took it extremely seriously when I reported earlier this year. Maybe they are taking it more seriously now. They didn't catch our flasher though so he's still out there exposing himself to school girls.

One girl did

It was genuine shock-i think it was a latte (not that it matters!)

He screamed,drove off and rang in a few hours later to demand she was fired for
A,dropping the latte
B,laughing (out of pure shock) at him
C,he went to the police claiming assault against him!he claimed she just dropped it in his lap and then laughed at him

Thankfully both the cctv and myself (id been stood just behind her,collecting some napkins and saw what happened) backed up her version of what happened-she was really shaken up

Work did move her away from the window for the next few shifts (whoo,go them!)

Pure fucking nerve of that pervert

(The police,you won't be surprised to hear,did nothing on either side and said 'it was 6 of one half a dozen of the other')

Yes.

Of course.

Flashers become rapists

Yes, for two reasons.
This kind of behaviour is either from someone about to break the law or someone needing mental help x

This. Escalation is what you'd be worrying about here.

I work in criminal defence and have become inured to all manner of offences.

If a man got his Thomas out in front of me I'd in all likelihood laugh and tell him to put it away. It's not really a laughing matter though. As PPs have said, it can lead to an escalation in behaviour and the next person could be a kid. I'd report it.

Alfie Moore has a comedy radio show called It's a Fair Cop. He did an episode on reporting a flasher and the conclusion was scary. They always escalate their behaviour and should always be reported.

Sorry can't find a link to it but it was post Sarah Everard's murder which he mentions also.