Bath rugby and assaults on teenage girl

[emmamoo11]

Hi, after talking to my daughter about getting to the bus station after work in Bath, she was saying how she hates the rugby. The middle aged men in particular think it is fine to grab her physically and leer.I will be going to the police as it seems a normal pattern every week. Does anyone else have teenagers that this has happened to? What is sad is that she is a feisty girl who has travelled and yet has put up with this.

I'm very surprised by this. My daughter has lived in Bath and worked in the city centre since she was 17 and has never experienced this. She also used the bus station to get around. It sounds horrible.

In all honesty I don't know what the police could do about this, unless they are there when it happens.

I used to get this on the train near Twickenham. Nothing really physical just very drunk, leery men. It was quite intimidating at the time being in a carriage full. I think if anyone physically touches her then she should go to the nearest police station and report it maybe. Or are there stewards around?

Report to police and sounds like one off she just came in contact with two very nast men. Hope dd is ok. No one should ever touch your dd like that. I lived near Twickenham and near bath and never seen this.

How old is DD?

Has she got a phone with a camera? If so suggest she photographs the men who grope or leer at her.

I suspect the very act of being photographed would scare the pants off them. It is one thing to be a macho plonker surrounded by your mates, it's another when you are singled out by a photo.

This is group behaviour like racism where people feel emboldened by being in a crowd. Like racism it is unacceptable.

The police station is very near to the bus and train stations, so it should be possible to report it quite quickly.

How old is your daughter?

Not in that area but when I was only 16,I used to have to get a bus to work.I was a Nursery Teacher and we all had to wear a nurses uniform.

One day a man started leering at me and making disgusting comments towards me(all sexual) and what I was wearing.I was very lucky as a couple of other guys on the bus started having a go at him and the bus driver heard what was going on and stopped the bus and physically chucked him of for me.

The two guys on the bus then checked that I was okay and the bus driver told me to go and sit near him and said that if I thought I knew or recognised the man and wanted to report him to the Police that he would act as a witness for me.

I'd report it OP,I think lots of busses have cameras on them now(they do where we live)so you might be able to get some help from the bus company as well.

Tell your daughter she can always go and sit near or stand near the driver as well and as soon as the bus driver stops she can tell them.Lots of them are parents themselves and I'm sure they'd look out for your daughter if they can.

I get the impression that this isn't happening on the bus. It's on the walk from work to the station. There will be cctv though.

Get her a whistle, tell her to keep it in her pocket - all she has to do is blow the whistle if it happens and it should stop. It is very unexpected.

Daughter is 18 and it happens as she is en route to bus. Will definitely get her to take photos. Also whistle. And yes, will tell her to call into police station when,/ if it happens again. Rugby is happening more in Bath now so guess this is going to happen more. She has worked since 15 in Bath and it is getting worse. Thank you for all your wise words