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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to report this as an assault?

36 replies

LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:06

By some twisted irony I have spent a lot of today reading the thread on rape and women's clothing getting fired up about those that somehow think women are at fault if they wear skimpy clothes.

On my way home from work, walking to the station along a main road but also what feels like a fairly remote and dodgy area (I sometimes have to do it when dark in the winter and I do find it a bit worrying) I walked past a group of five 13/14 year olds. I heard them start to walk behind me and giggle and whisper, so I kind of knew that they would doing something, i.e. they were going to shout something at me.

What actually happened was one of them came up behind me (I thought he was going to take my bag) booted me in the bum (enough for me to have a bruise).

I spun round and he was running away and in my rage I shouted 'you stupid fucking little prick, fucking run away!' and probably other choice words Blush

His friends were still there giggling so I shouted some more at them, then got my phone out and DP was calling and they all ran after their friend.

DP was obviously livid so I've come home and called the police. Not sure was the protocol normally is, he said do I want a policeman to come round, and I said I just thought I should report it in case they are known troublemakers and perhaps the police could give them a talking to - his response was 'well it's hard to say in these situations, you could make it worse for yourself if you see them again'...but he did proceed to take the full report down and said someone will call back.

I have to walk this route every day, and I don't want to live in fear of being kicked by some little shits. I'm guessing they do live in the areas (lots of housing) so conceivably I could see them again.

Have I overreacted or should I be pursuing this as assault?

Hurts to sit down now :(

OP posts:
K999 · 15/05/2011 20:08

You did the right thing. This is assault. Hope they catch the fuckers.

BimboNo5 · 15/05/2011 20:09

Of course you should.

DontCallMePeanut · 15/05/2011 20:09

hugs You are NOT over-reacting.

Can you get an ice pack on your backside (ok, numb bum, I know)

But you retaliated. Well done. And now you're fighting back. hugs Hopefully the police will see it how we do.

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:10

Well the impression the guy gave me was that they weren't going to look for them, just to have in on file in case I see them again...

Which was why I wondered if I had gone OTT

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 15/05/2011 20:10

It is an assault and you have not over reacted. They need investigating and dealing with.

CookieRookie · 15/05/2011 20:12

They bloody well should do something about it, it's assault ffs Angry

Hope you feel better soon.

MirandaGoshawk · 15/05/2011 20:12

How awful. It certainly sounds like an assault. But hold your head up - you're not the one in the wrong here!

Is there a way of finding out who they are? Some time back there were some little shits round here causing trouble; it gave me great pleasure to be able to say to the ringleader, "You're ----, aren't you? I know your mum!" There were no probs after that.

celticlassie · 15/05/2011 20:13

You are definitely right to have reported it. Apart from the fact that the police dealing with them means they might never do anything like that again, hopefully the inevitable involvement of their parents means they'll never do anything like that again.

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:14

I don't think so - it's a station next to my work so I literally walk through the area. It is dodgy though and next to large housing estates, but I'd have thought pretty impossible to find out who they are unless I see them again. It's a less than salubrious part of East London - there isn't really a better route into work though.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:16

Well hopefully when the police call me back they will take it seriously - don't really relish having to go through it again for them to take any action..

OP posts:
maxpower · 15/05/2011 20:16

you are not overreacting - you may not be the only person they've done this to but you might be the only/first person to bring it to the attention of the police. we've had our front wall kicked down by some youths and I feel I should have reported it for exactly the same reason, but it was a few weeks ago now....

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:21

Funny thing is, until I started lurking on Mumsnet a few years ago I probably would have put my head down and walked away really quickly, but the rage has been released in me!

Why the hell should they think they can get away with kicking women up the arse?

To add insult to injury as I turned the corner to the station, still furiously on the phone to DP, some other nobber made some comment 'alright love, nice legs, cheer up' or some other such shite.

Wink
OP posts:
ThatVikRinA22 · 15/05/2011 20:26

im a bobby - you did right. they will mention it to the safer neighbourhood team or the neighbourhood police, who may make a few extra patrols in the area.
it is an assault. im afraid though, unless you can name the little treasures, or it has been caught on cctv etc, you may not get a result, though you have absolutely done the right thing, it will at least alert the neighbourhood bobbies to be on the look out for trouble, they may have a good idea who it is but without proof it would be difficult to charge - but worth reporting none the less, and you never know. rampaging kids are really difficult to deal with, but this could do with nipping in the bud. hope your ok.

beesimo · 15/05/2011 20:27

You did exactly the right thing OP you have a DP some lasses would have had to go home to a empty house and sit and worry about it rather than get angry. Hopefully the police will put the wind up the little buggers.

BTW It isn't trivial kicking some one and I do think when thugs get together they egg each other on.. There was that awful case where a woman in her 30s was raped by a bunch of teenagers while walking along a canal path.

They need 'knocking back down a bit' or they will think their the 'cocks of the walk' Well done OP

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:30

That's good to know actually Vicar I hope they do put extra patrols on. It's not nice to feel daunted on a journey you have to make, especially when the evening are darker again (I sometimes finish at 8). I'm fine in myself (except bruised arsecheek) but feel really pissed off.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 20:32

beesimo the little shit that did it ran away as soon as I turned round, I think he was terrified of me (makes me feel slightly better!) so I'm not sure how much of a tough guy he really is!

Hopefully they were just egging each other on and they will all take the piss out of him now...being charitable maybe he didn't intend to kick me quite so hard...

OP posts:
idratherbeboarding · 15/05/2011 20:47

Little shits. You totally did the right thing, if that happened to me, I would have been pretty shaken up. I think because they kicked you in your backside, you are feeling like you may have overreacted (because of the area they kicked you, it could be perceived as a joke by them - albeit a v unfunny joke), but the cretin kicked you so hard that you have a bruise, that is an assault. Well done for reporting the incident to the police.

hester · 15/05/2011 20:59

You know, it sounds like it's the first time they went that far, and they were seeing what they could get away with. The fact that you reacted - and scared them - may well save someone else, someone more vulnerable. from getting something worse this week.

Well done and you're absolutely right for taking it to the police.

Mandy2003 · 15/05/2011 21:08

Was it a racially motivated assault OP? I just say that because I used to live in East London too (E8, E5, and Bow). If it was the Police are obliged to take it more seriously. But well done for yelling at them!

TheyKnowEsperanto · 15/05/2011 21:10

You're right to report - agree with idratherbeboarding re the fact that they kicked you dans le derriere, it has a slight Pythonesque humour to the assault (Sad sorry for your bruises) so I think some of the crap Police reaction is oh they were kids just mucking around for a joke, but it was most definitely assault, and if they'd run up and kicked you in the shins or your thigh you wouldn't feel remotely sheepish about reporting, so put that to one side. I do think that is the only reason you are doubting yourself for reporting. Shame Vicar wasn't on duty. How very fucking dare they?

SnuffleTurtle153 · 15/05/2011 21:17

This was an assault, and someone should have come to see you, and it should be investigated. Because it's left a bruise it's classified as ABH, not common assault, and you should have been given a bit more support by the person you spoke to (who is unlikely to actually be an officer). Hope you're OK. Don't feel that you over-reacted. I understand it's intimidating when you have to walk the same route every day but if I were you I'd be tempted to call the police back and make a bit more of a stink about it.

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 21:24

Mandy I don't think it was racially motivated although we are of different ethnicity. I think it was more puerile teenage boy and semi-attractive woman (being objective Blush) motivated.

You are all right about the arse thing. It was a bit embarassing having to detail it to the policeman and hard not to downplay it (he kicked me in the bum? rear end? derriere?)

He did say someone will call me back to do a full report so hopefully they will

I'm also going to report it to work as well. Not sure how comfortable I feel about walking there late night now, and I'm sure they have a duty of care and need to know if a local station is unsafe...

OP posts:
edam · 15/05/2011 21:24

Take a picture of the bruise - it's evidence that this was an assault causing injury (and as snuffle says, ABH). And call the police back and insist someone comes to see you - a crime has been committed, they can't just ignore it because they don't think it's going to be easy to solve. Do press for them to pass it on to the Safer Neighbourhoods team.

Were you walking from work to the station? Just wondering whether you can walk with a colleague for a few days in case the little shits are still hanging around.

Original poster
LittlePickleHead · 15/05/2011 21:30

I just looked and you can't see a bruise yet edam it's more like I can feel it inside iyswim? It will probably develop in the next couple of days I'd imagine.

Unfortunately in my current role everyone finishes at different times and there are a few stations that people use (though none of the others any good for me) so I don't actually think there is anyone for me to walk with. I will talk to my boss though and maybe they will be able to find out if there is anyone I can pair up with. Again, feel embarrased like perhaps they will all think I'm making a bit of a fuss for a kick in the bum...

Conceivably there is another route I could take, but it's a mainline station so costs me double and takes much longer too as the walk is quite long (though probably safer). Feel annoyed I'd even have to consider doing that just due to some kids...

OP posts:
Tortington · 15/05/2011 21:33

the police have acted seriously shitly

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