17 year old girl walking home sexually assaulted by multiple, unconnected men

[NoLoveofMine]

An absolutely horrendous case in which a 17 year old girl trying to get home on a night out was subject to multiple serious sexual assaults it seems by men completely unconnected to one another. What does this say about society, that different men in a small geographical location within the space of an hour all had such contempt for women and girls they chose to commit these abhorrent attacks on her? It's hideous. I don't usually start threads in this section of the board but I feel so enraged by these attacks and feel more should be aware of this misogyny.

[http://news.met.police.uk/news/appeal-after-woman-sexually-assaulted-by-multiple-suspects-following-night-out-267602]

It wasn't that late at night, so perhaps there might be witnesses that come forwards or people who recognize a likely suspect from the footage. I think you'd recognize the guy with the bike if you knew him, and maybe even the bandy legged man too.

Hope so but I don't hold out much hope sadly

As a former victim, I know what that poor girl is going through and it ain't pretty. Disbelief, fear, pain, wondering whether anyone actually believes you at all, maybe you imagined it, maybe you deserved it because you had been drinking, then anger, fury, rage and finally desolation. The poor little thing. Sometimes I just hate men.

TiesThatBindMe so sorry and hope you are alright

Probably only a little slip of a thing. Small, therefore easy prey for the fucking vultures men

I'm actually fine all things considered thank you NoLoveOfMine. But I get irrationally over involved in similar stories I think. It has shaped me but doesn't define me. Ishoos and stuff innit ;)

I can empathise with the getting over involved, I also feel like that about these stories. I just obsess over them and get so upset, but cannot stop thinking about as in this case the girl who was attacked and how she must be feeling. To think this is a girl no different from me at all, my age, just doing what I've done so many times including tonight, headed home after a night out. It infuriates and sickens me. I can only imagine how it makes you feel and your passion is lovely, you care so much for other women and girls x

M4Dad I was born in Mile End and grew up in Tower Hamlet's. So, not far at all from where these attacks took place at all. I know what you want to say that will get you banned - it's a truth all of us as girls who grew up there know very well. It caused some major fights back in the day. Lots of what goes on there isn't really reported. But if you mention it (even if you are very clearly not saying 'ALL') - then you have a problem.

Although I don't agree with what you've gone on to say, implying its the reason more women are raped nowadays. Rape and sexual assault has always been an issue for women and girls. It can and does happen everywhere. Albeit perceptions have a lot to do with certain areas

This particular one though..didn't she have anyone to tell her not to walk around Bethnal Green! especially on the side roads? No-one to accompany her? Poor girl. Feel really sorry for her. I don't even like to think about it.

This particular one though..didn't she have anyone to tell her not to walk around Bethnal Green! especially on the side roads?

Victim blaming. What do you propose a girl who lives on a side road in Bethnal Green does to get home?

DeeCee, a friend of mine spent years doing shift work in Bethnal Green, if that's where you live and work, you can't just say "bad" and never be there alone. Anyway these attacks happen in suburbs too.

Just don't know how we can turn things around. It's an issue as old as time really isn't it? I think as women, we possibly have the most power to try to change things in our own very tiny circles. You can only start with your own really. And I do think it comes down to core parenting. I'm traditional in the sense that I feel the mother has most influence on the children. It has actually been studied that in a household where the father suffers from depression for e.g., the children remain largely unaffected however, the stats go a bit haywire if it's the mother who has depression. I genuinely feel, whether it's due to mothers being more involved traditionally or for some other reason, that mothers are the drivers for how they rear their children and how they turn out.
Somebody reared those three 'men' who felt entitled enough to assault that girl. They have parents. They didn't just come into existence from a vacuum. We need to look at ourselves. As they say, when you point the finger, there are four pointing back at you. We have to look at ourselves first.

Two attacks on teenage girls in Twickenham within a couple of months earlier in the year, both in broad daylight, one on a girl in school uniform. Nowhere is safe.

Yes TiesThatBindMe in particular parents of sons have to bring them up and set an example in how they do so. Challenge all misogyny, all sexism. Ensure they never see or accept girls and women being presented as lesser.

Rape and sexual assault is being normalised. Misogyny and sexism in music, speaking of women and girls as if they're pieces of meat only to be used and discarded. Judges handing down soft sentences. Even a man killing his own wife..'he was nagged for years and snapped' often mentioned. If a woman is drunk, it's her fault for not being more aware. Some internet forum users subject women to horrendous abusive sexually offensive comments. It's like an onslaught on women, men angry at the world are raging at women. I still do not believe the majority of men rape women. But the ones that do, too often seem to get a 'pass'. If there were much harsher sentences maybe they'd kill a woman and have done with it to minimise risk of bring caught. Awful.

I completely agree with that post MistressDeeCee. The level of hatred for women and girls out there is frightening. It's shown by these attacks but when you look at online comments it just says it all. There's even misogyny on a forum populated mainly by women like this!

I actually think people have been harsh on Zee. Sure, her post was victim blaming but the misogynistic message drummed into men, that little whisper in their ears, all through their lives that only bad girls get raped — women get that too. Continually.

It gives us a sense of false safety. As long as I don't drink too much, dress in skimpy clothes, practice promiscuity and always make sure I am accompanied by a man, I'll be safe.

It's all bullshit, of course, the vast majority of rapes are committed by people the victim knows but you can't blame a woman for wanting to believe that.

Men are taught that women deserve rape, that they lie about it, that women who sleep with men and then regret it claim rape, that we make shit up for attention because our brains don't function well. Women are also taught this horsecrap.

Don't hate on other women who fall for the lies. Educate them.

NoLoveOfMine don't be silly, I'm not victim blaming - just it's rough round there and I do wish someone had walked with her up the road. Yet within a minute you're pouncing to say I'm victim blaming?! Please. If I'd come across a girl walking on her own, staggering etc Im likely to ask 'are you ok'/can be dangerous around here etc. People must have seen her - it's a shame no-one went over. That is all.

Sorry if I misunderstood but that's how that particular post came across to me. No-one is responsible for these attacks other than the men who chose to perpetrate them as I hope you agree.

NoLoveOfMine yes I do agree. It's 2017 and still, women seem to mean nothing much at all. It's sickening not least because I don't think it will stop...

Sadly so MistressDeeCee. It absolutely enrages me daily. I think about this so much every day and I feel so saddened and angry by it.

I used to live between Stratford and Leytonstone, just off a road which was a red light district. I definitely felt safer when DP was with me. As a lone female I was approached a few times and asked whether I was 'looking for business'. Fuck ye. My trackie bottoms and hoodie and I'm in business. Thanks very fucking much you dirty bastard but I actually have a job you dirty rotten pathetic cunt.

Grrrrrrrrrr. I'm actually getting too annoyed!

You are a powerful woman TiesThatBindMe and your passion to fight misogyny is inspiring, thank you.

Lol, think that's the first time I've ever been called powerful but thanks for the compliment.
On one of the occasions when I was approached, DP had gone into the corner shop and I was standing outside smoking a cigarette. Some cunt pulled up in his car (fancy car) and asked whether I was 'looking for business' WTAF? DP came out a few seconds later and I told him. He approached yer man in the car and asked him what the fuck was he doing and the 'nice' man told him that he was a married man and he'd never do anything like that.
Honest to God, some men could lie for England.

It's not as if you're going to admit to a crime unless there is evidence against you. That's why these bastards get away with it. It's so hard to get concrete evidence.

Just too many who see women and girls as nothing but sex objects, subordinate to them, inferior; we exist for their enjoyment, they have such contempt for us we do not matter as humans.