I am struggling and I just need to spill this somewhere.
I was walking home last night after having a couple of drinks with my friend in the pub and a car pulled up alongside me. The man in the car said ‘I wonder if I could take a picture of you for my blog about people who live in xxxxx?’
I said ‘okay. So take a picture then’. I don't know where my brain was at this point, he was so casual and polite my first impulse was to be helpful.
Then he said ‘ do you want to earn some money. It's legit.’ And showed me a wodge of cash. Then he said ‘can we go somewhere to take the pictures?’. At this point my brain finally kicked in and I told him to fuck off.
And walked off.
He drove a little way in front and stopped again:
'I promise you it's legit it's for a blog, you can earn some money’
‘fuck off’
I sped up.
He didn't drive away.
I was panicking at this point I didn’t want to use my phone because I was scared and I thought that he was watching me.
I was only 5 mins from home.
I got home safe. I reported via 101. This morning the police rang to say they think they have CCTV footage. It seems kind of insignificant written down. But I cant shake the fear.
I was raped in the past and was sexually abused as a child and obviously this is triggering. I just can't stop feeling frightened. I keep imagining that he is out there preying on someone vulnerable. I feel so bad that I didn't get the registration. And also that I reacted so stupidly at first.