Attempted upskirting by delivery man

[upskirting]

Bizarre and shocking experience today, thanks to a delivery man working for a large well known delivery firm acting on behalf of a major U.K. retailer.

He "had to tie his shoelaces" three times in the 5ish mins he and his male colleague were here. I was home alone. Each time he moved uncomfortably close to me and then knelt on the floor and put his phone camera-up on the floor next to him. I felt uncomfortable but couldn’t believe that he was trying anything.

The third time I was in an area like a utility room, and he'd knelt in front of the doorway, essentially blocking me in... and then said, oh sorry, i'm blocking you! He moved himself but not the phone, which I would have had to step over or close to over, to get past into the main room. Fortunately I had the good sense to stay where I was.

AIBU that this man should lose his job? As should his colleague, who clearly knew what was going on? And also, WWYD now, if you were me?

I hope they take it seriously.

@SpringIsSprung1

what do you think Sarah Everard should have done ?

See here if interested

Great question.
An even better question is, why is @SpringIsSprung1 more concerned with what women are doing? She should really be questioning:
What should Wayne Couzens have done?

I think I’d have said something like ‘erm what are you doing?’ But then again being on your own I’m sure it was a bit intimidating! Put your complaint in writing to head office to the company and say if nothing is done you’ll take it further. What a creep!!

Social media. That’s the answer. Don’t let it go.

I'd be torn between reporting and 'accidentally' stepping on the phone but reporting is the most sensible course of action. You've every right to report to police, they tend to take things more seriously in recent years after being told to do so

The problem was, in part, that he was narrating what he was doing! He was reciting the excuses (lies) as he did it- ahh laces have been coming undone all day! Ahh smashed my phone last time, got to put it on the floor to be safe… It was a (badly) rehearsed “bit”.

If anything it felt a lot more like an attempted confidence trick than a sexual crime.

i didn’t freeze, although I’m aware of the response,
I just took a while to twig what was going on- unfortunately. It was very unusual, and I could tell “something” was up- but not quite what. I’m not feeling bad at all! But wanted to post so maybe others will be more aware.

She was on her own in her house with two strange men blocking the way out, one of whom was doing his best to commit a sexual crime. I'm sure you'd have been ever so brave and op is a wimp.

Or, Op did what she needed to do to keep herself safe.

Stop. Fucking. Victim. Blaming.

And unfortunately I think stepping on or kicking the phone would have had no effect on the phone as it was in a case, given them the exact shot they were hoping for, and made me look like a loony.

I’m in awe OP of how well you handled the incident and the aftermath. Ignore the shoulda-woulda-coulda’s on this thread. You did and you did great in difficult and uncertain circumstances.

Thank you for raising awareness of the issue too.

I'd say blast this all over social media. Name and shame the business. You probably didn't take a picture of this creep, did you?

You made no mistakes. None. You’re I. Your home and should feel safety

Grim

@upskirting I would say call the police and I am usually eye rolling at folk on mums et saying call the police!

This is a serious sexual offence and often the people committing these crimes (in plain site of a colleague) are also committing other crimes or it is a gateway to other crimes.

The more knowledge is known about a person the better.
it means it is recorded against a person even if a charge can't be made.

But the phone would have been lit up on the the phone. So you would have seen your room on the screen if that was indeed what he was doing, even with a timer, you'd still see this.

Not if it was face down and recording video from the camera in the back.

I agree. A post on social media will at least warn other women.

I'm so fucking naïve it would never have occurred to me had it happened to me so thank you OP for sharing as I've learned a (new) lesson for keeping safe.

You did brilliantly and Yes social media the life out of it. Joanne Shawcroft is the company's "people Director" and I suggest you contact her.

I’m 100% sure of what was happening.

so Why did you not remove yourself from where he could do this, ask him to leave and then call the police?

Report to his company and the police.

Why did you not call him out on it at the time?

Write to company. Email them as well so they’ve got 2 copies.
Report to police on 101. It’s just possible that other women have reported same.

Isn't it a pity we live in a country where we know there is no point in reporting this sort of shit to the police?

This country is fucked.

Stop victim blaming.

Stop victim blaming.