To have said something to these men?

[Earlscourttonight]

Coming home tonight from central London, I have a wait at a station and overhear two men in their 30s speak my mother tongue (European language). I tune in mindlessly, turns out one of them (let’s call him Allan) is expressing his joy of being in London and starting afresh so he can have sex with 16 year old girls. I move closer to make sure I didn’t misheard, they both keep going on about it. The friend (let’s call him Bob) then quotes the Prophet as justification. Eventually Allan locks eyes on me, and I say to him in our common language ‘Really, nice job rationalising your paedophilia’. I then repeat this in English as there were lots of people milling about and I thought this would give me some protection. (Nobody reacted)

Both of them then accuse me of having misunderstood the whole conversation, say I don’t understand the language (I understand it perfectly). Bob says they were only comparing what it’s like to get married at 16 versus 30. I say no, you were never talking about marriage, and besides who gets married at 16? That’s illegal. Bob then says he means falling in love. I say to him, I know what I heard (no mention of love whatsoever) and I have recorded the conversation (I hadn’t, but thought that might make them leave me alone - although I understood that it might also make them want to steal my phone - risk I was willing to take).

I then had an uncomfortable ride home as they were in my carriage, luckily they got off before me.

DH said I should not have engaged.

For context, I have a DD that age. I was also groomed and assaulted myself as a teen.

I just found them so repulsive, I had to say something - it was a visceral reaction. Maybe it will have been pointless, or maybe Allan will think twice before banging the next teen girl - I would count that as a win - not that I will ever know.

Now lying awake and wondering, what would you have done? I’m sure I could have handled it better but I don’t know how.

Please no Muslim baiting, I’m fairly certain from the conversation that Allan is not Muslim. Thank you

Good for you. I'm impressed by you calling them out and I'm glad that you did

You were very brave and totally correct. However, I am really glad you were not harassed further for your reaction. It’s disgusting how misogynistic our ‘modern’ society has become! Well done for calling them out and I’m glad you’re safe.

Wankers.

did you get a recording of their faces? Enough incriminating voice evidence of their conversation?

if you did I'd call the police in the morning & hopefully they'll get recordings from the station as well. If they've cleaned their act up at all anyway.

I probably would have just got the best recording I could have & then called the police.

i wouldn't have engaged with them as a) I'd be too worried they'd hurt me/follow me home whatever and b) I wouldn't give them advance warning if the police contacting them & c) I don't think these types would give a FF about a woman confronting them

eurghhhh

Well done you… Yes these men are repulsive. There are too many good people given a bad reputation when paedophiles are allowed to justify their fetish by hiding behind religion.

You were totally right for calling them out on something so vulgar that they were clearly talking so explicitly about because they assumed no one else would understand. Well done and sorry to hear of what you went through - I was also a victim of sexual assault at 16 from a much older man in a position of power and honestly, it still affects me.

Well done for calling them out. They thought that because they weren't speaking English they wouldn't be understood and it came back to bite them on the arse.

By the way, in the UK 16 year olds could until recently get married but they had to have parental consent. Good thing it changed, it was far too young.

Honestly OP, I wouldn't challenge strange men when by yourself. They could easily attack you and people don't often intervene. People carry knives and some men think nothing of attacking a woman.

I understand that their conversation was disgusting and I'm hoping it was just talk - I can't imagine a 16 year old wanting a complete sleaze.

As for them using religion, unfortunately people have been doing that for millennia to justify their behaviour.

I agree not worth it. Not a chance they will change any view because you challenged them. If they had that view and a women stood up to them then chances are they take it out on a vulnerable little girl because they won't want to be challenged or made to feel like crap. They either try and hurt you directly and if they don't they will have taken it out on someone more vulnerable. No idea how to help or change this

Firstly well done, you are 100x braver than I am for picking up on this in public but so often attacks/relationships with younger children is hidden behind religion/(looking to be banned from MN) immigrants claiming that’s its normal/ok from where they’ve come from and also ignored due to the risk of racial assaults - ie. The 1400instances in Bradford

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/mp-almost-sure-child-sexual-exploitation-in-bradford-worse-than-rotherham-3455743

you were NOT wrong - but I don’t know what the answer is.

Good for you, I think you did exactly the right thing. Rancid shit bags.

I would not have spoken to them. They are predators. Instead I would have spoken to dd and warned her about men like this.

As you say, it was a visceral reaction, so try not to overthink what you could have done better. I applaud you for doing anything, men like this need to be told they're disgusting scum and maybe you've made them think twice.

Though obviously unpleasant and an imbalance of power, it is not illegal for such men to date or have sex with 16 y/o girls. There won't be voice recordings from a station system. And the OP didn't record them - so only has hearsay evidence. Nothing to call the police about, sadly.

True, true, true, & true. Obviously I was more tired than I thought at 2.39 & angry at the policing situation as well as the blokes, thinking how little they'd do anyway.

Nothing illegal I suppose, just vile

I actually didn't mean voice recordings from the station, I just meant to identify them.

what vile creatures. It's not even like that we're talking about a particular girl one of them fancied, just any girl because she's that age & barely legal. Eughhh

Urgh!!! I knew Rotherham would get thrown in there as it always does. Only a matter of time.
Thank you to the OP for mentioning that they were not Muslim.
I am glad you tried to change their mindset but unfortunately as previous mentioned, you could have landed yourself in trouble. I am glad you are ok though.
It is a scary world out there and i do not know whether it is because of social media and reading the news or seeing posts often but there is a definitely trust “no one” vibe now. You have to always have your wits about you.

It is risky for you, but we cannot remain silent forever in the face of this. While being in a public space, full of people, I think you are ok to challenge.
Well done to you!

Well done you.

I understand that their conversation was disgusting and I'm hoping it was just talk - I can't imagine a 16 year old wanting a complete sleaze.
Never heard of teenage girls being groomed by disgusting grown men @username8348?

You did the right thing @Earlscourttonight

Thank you for speaking up even though it put you at risk.
So many people turn a blind eye and it puts our children at risk.

Glad you were safe.

Perhaps next time find another adult to bear witness before you say anything. At least then you'll be a bit safer.

I agree not worth it. Not a chance they will change any view because you challenged them

I disagree - people like this comfort themselves with the thought that everyone thinks they way they do, any challenge to that is good.

Problem is certain religions and cultures have been targeting vulnerable kids for a long time in the UK.
Local police are raiding their vape shops and barbers regularly.....under the pretext of drugs and illegal vapes.....but really the police are well briefed that they are looking for grooming gangs.
Imagine importing this issue then having an environment where it can't be spoken about 🤣
Insanity

Brilliant - well done you!!

Well done OP!
Unfortunately often people are cowed into not saying anything to such disgusting creatures :(

You are super brave and I would have done the same thing OP. Well done!

You’re incredible. If more women were like you we would have a better world.