Mass sexual assaults in Cologne and other European cities part IV

[VertigoNun]

The reports of attacks on Women in NYE, are in their hundreds.

Oh, and to those people talking about how terrible the conditions are that people are escaping from.

Well, the majority of the attackers came from Algeria and Morocco - well known war torn areas not

I've emailed my MP. I asked MN to request the BBC and the Guardian to do an online chat with us - surely a useful request? But they're ignoring it. Could I have a bit more support on this please on
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2545396-Can-a-representative-from-the-BBC-and-Guardian-be-called-to-do-a-webchat-to-discuss-events-in-Cologne-on-NYE?

Which posts of mine Lumela? Just back on..

I tried to put this on the last thread - I'll just c&p it here while I catch up....

In answer to a pp's question (sorry am on my phone - naturally so can't scroll back), my friends and colleagues feel utterly unsafe. The city center has pretty much become a no go area - if not for the crime (I think I said already my friend was mugged last weekend) then for the violence and demos.

Every day at the moment brings a fresh story of riots and violent crime. The shops are sold out of pepper spray.

Everyone is hunkered down.

I've added my voice, carla

I think the one where you lost it, polenta, and maybe another. Search 'deleted' on the old thread and you'll find them.

It sounds awful, onthephone.

Thank you Carla, I'll look at the other thread now.

"The report describes a modus operandi known as "taharrush gamea" in Arabic, meaning group sexual harassment in crowds, and compares it to incidents reported in Cairo's Tahrir Square at the time of the Egyptian revolution."

From the BBC.

Taharrush gamea: group sexual harassment in crowds.

As someone else has said, this is an established phenomenon. How can this be talked about and tackled?

It is awful. And this is Germany. Why are the politicians and the police controlling it?

aren't

Gosh on thephone . I wish I could join you at the march on 17 January.

From the BBC report: "Nineteen individuals are currently under investigation by the state police in connection with the attacks, NRW's interior ministry says in a report (in German), none of them German nationals. Those 19 suspects include 14 men from Morocco and Algeria. Ten of the suspects are asylum seekers, nine of whom arrived in Germany after September 2015."

It may be relevant to these attacks that there is a strong sense in Morocco that street violence here has increased dramatically in the past couple of years, though it is sometimes hard to know where truth ends and rumour begins. When I read about the attacks in Germany, I cannot help thinking how much worse things would have been if the men had also been armed like some of those shown here:

observers.france24.com/fr/20150731-videos-maroc-tcharmil-hercelement-sexuel-violence-couteaux
observers.france24.com/fr/20140418-phenomene-marocain-tcharmil-coup-frime-vrai-gang-criminel-maroc-casablanca-jeunes-police-delinquance

There was an incident near us some months back in which a (white) man allegedly tried to lure a teenaged girl into his vehicle.

That caused a huge stir: girls advised not to cut through parks en route to school, to stick together or near to others.

I can't imagine what it must be like, onthephone

(And of course it should go without saying that I know that war zones and refugee camps are shittier, ok?)

Coverage of yesterday's incidents and the far right demos over the weekend.

It's in German, but still worth a look. Confirms that the attacked migrants yesterday were simply peacefully going about their everyday business when they were set upon.

I am always perfectly in control Lumela! . No it was to do with a bit of (alleged!) named changing I think. I assume it comes under the charge of troll hunting or something, but as far as I remember I was only pointing it out. Oh well, wrist well smacked

Mama, this thread is moving v quickly, so I think it was you who asked what I wrote to Woman's Hour. I can't find it, I used their contact us button on their duller than dull web site so as I'm a technical numpty I've no idea if I have some sort of copy. Sorry. I think, if I'm not getting myself mixed up with what ive been posting on here, it was along the lines of disbelief that they are not covering the events in European cities. That ignoring such an issue does not make it go away. That apart from the violence there are other factors which need to be addressed, media silence, police ineffective.
It was quite short, to the point I thought, just asking them to cover it but they shouldn't need prompting after all.
I see that to to or rows offering is on picky eaters, o dear, business as usual it seems. Not sure I can face listening to it tomorrow, it's so boring, such bland fare, I spent a whole hour hoping for a sentence, we are going to cover it this week etc etc but no.... Really angry

I have emailed my MP but no reply as yet.

Confirms that the attacked migrants yesterday were simply peacefully going about their everyday business when they were set upon.
That's terrible for those men.
And is exactly why the far right can't be allowed to dominate this discussion.

What were they saying on Loose Women? Missed it, need to watch catch up

Tarrush gamea.

So there's a name for it.

I'm going to ask my MP to educate himself about it and ask that he share that knowledge with his constituents.

What does it look like?
What can be done if constituents believe it is happening in our constituency
What questions he intends to ask in parliament about potential emergency measures/laws he would like to see in response to this possibility
A legal acknowledgement and definition of the phenomena
Potential legal responses (police response, jail and deportation proposals)
Any other measures being taken in the EU against it post-Cologne from which we can learn

Do we think about marching here in solidarity?

A good summary of a lot of the points said here. In very brief summary: culturally based issues that need to be tackled by not blaming the woman and making them feel like they are responsible for the men's behaviour.

Sorry that last post was in answer to polenta's question re loose women

Sorry that last post was in answer to polenta's question re loose women

and more covered up assaults in Sweden

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/swedish-police-accused-of-covering-up-sexual-assaults-at-music-festival-a68