What would you do if you saw a sign in a window saying "help me"

[Lois345]

I saw a sign in a window today saying "help me." It was one of those neat black framed boards that you can write on by moving little white plastic letters around. It was facing the street. Would you call the police? Do you think they would respond to this? I live in Edinburgh, if that makes any difference (maybe someone here with local knowledge of the police)

[Lois345]

To those of you still wondering.
No, the police never got back to me and I do not know whether the sign is still there as I live in the other end of town.

[WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants]

Did you hear anything more from the police?

[ferntwist]

You did the right thing OP. Hope it was just a daft joke but you never know

[EZA15]

@steppemum

I am really curious about what you woudl do next. That youtibe video showed someone on a zoom call, and the other person makes the signal.

What do you do next?
if you call the police, would they attend the house?
Would they do it in such a way as to get the victim out?
I'm not sure I have enough faith in them not to be sidetracked by a 'pleasant' smiling guy saying - Oh my wife is just napping etc and then shutting the door.

Would police persist?

I don’t think I’d have faith either. When I was younger I was in care. When I was released back to my parents, my social workers came to check on me. My parents told them I was out (I wasn’t, I was upstairs) and that everything was fine and I was released from care. The abuse went on for years after.

[ThisIsntMeHonestGuv]

I would read the fucking thread

Or maybe you should read what the op asked. Which is 'what should you do if...'

[unmarkedbythat]

I would read the fucking thread.

Or at least just read the OPs posts.

If only there was a quick and easy way to do that. Shame that nobody has mentioned this before or maybe posted some helpful screenshots to explain how to do that.

FFS.

I would scroll past a one line answer from someone who obviously hadn't RTFT but hadn't said anything offensive or unpleasant or unhelpful. It would take a lot less time than making an angry post about it. FFS.

[Localocal]

Glad someone posted the hand signal. Please watch the video, everyone! It's 30 seconds and could make a different to a woman suffering from dv.

[IdblowJonSnow]

It's a thing that students are doing because of covid and self isolation.
I guess there is a chance it's genuine though.

[anuffername]

@SallyB392

I would dial 999 immediTely

I would read the fucking thread.

Or at least just read the OPs posts.

If only there was a quick and easy way to do that. Shame that nobody has mentioned this before or maybe posted some helpful screenshots to explain how to do that.

FFS.

[Kate139]

I would first knock on the door. If there was no answer I would call the police and say there is a concern for the welfare of the person due to the sign in the window. The police will come out (maybe within an hour) and if necessary break the door down.
I couldn't ignore a notice like that in a house window.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

I think you made the right decision. There can be a variety of reasons for signs like these, from "jokes" to very serious. My friends mum used to write things like this in lipstick on her bedroom window because she didnt realise she had dementia and had to be stopped from wandering (she thought she was 19 and was being prevented from eloping with the husband she lived with). The police got to understand the situation but many kindly people rang them to check that everything was ok.

[SallyB392]

I would dial 999 immediTely

[Acerred]

@steppemum

I sort of get where Justasking is coming from.

When you live in a good community, you do knock and help eahc other etc.

I think it is only after being on mn for so long that my view of DV has shifted and I have become more aware.

Nowadays I would assume that the person needing help couldn't come to the door, and I'll call the police

April Jones lived in rural Wales and look how safe she was

[tommyhoundmum]

Does anyone know the outcome of this please apart from the fact she did call the police?

[CantBeAssed]

10DeliciouslyFemale

mussymummy

Ok so she has called the police sorry, but seriously why the hell waste time posting on social media ? And what the hell difference does it make where OP lives or does please help me mean different things in scotland, Wales, England and Ireland?

You left out Northern Ireland. I’m deeply offended.

Me too

[Heartofglass12345]

At least she did call the police!
Is the sign still there? I wonder if the police have been yet

[DeliciouslyFemale]

@mussymummy

Ok so she has called the police sorry, but seriously why the hell waste time posting on social media ? And what the hell difference does it make where OP lives or does please help me mean different things in scotland, Wales, England and Ireland?

You left out Northern Ireland. I’m deeply offended.

[mussymummy]

Ok so she has called the police sorry, but seriously why the hell waste time posting on social media ? And what the hell difference does it make where OP lives or does please help me mean different things in scotland, Wales, England and Ireland?

[CayrolBaaaskin]

I had one in the house across the road from me. It was a family home and a kids prank.

[DeliciouslyFemale]

THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!
THE OP HAS ALREADY CALLED THE POLICE!

[Antirrhinum]

Sorry, tap, not swipe. You can only search for the OP's posts though, unless you pay for premium.

[Antirrhinum]

EdnaSilem
... mind you, that 'see all' button at the end of any OP's post hasn't been
available until recently... it should in time eliminate people having to type in RTFT. We can only hope.
And it isn't available in the app at all.

Yes it is. You need to swipe on the filter at the top right of the page.

[DeliciouslyFemale]

@mussymummy

I'm sorry but what the fuck difference does it mean I'f your in Edinburgh? Does please help me mean something different in Edinburgh to the rest of the UK / world? Call the bloody police and dont waste time posting on bloody mumsnet

SHE HAS!

[mussymummy]

I'm sorry but what the fuck difference does it mean I'f your in Edinburgh? Does please help me mean something different in Edinburgh to the rest of the UK / world? Call the bloody police and dont waste time posting on bloody mumsnet

[Hmm1234]

Call the police but some people have started with the Halloween decorations already so it could be that