My 17 year old son is in 6th form in School in a small market town. He has to walk to school through the town centre to get to the bus.
Today he was set up by a gang of similar aged youths that he didn’t recognise. He was told by one
‘ not to stare at his mate’
DS seemed to think he was referring to a lad that hangs around the same place who my son and his friends have looked at - nosy teenagers.
DS said there were about 15 of them and he was on his own. He’s 6 feet and so not an easy target but some lads kicked him and thumped his back.
He says he has no marks and bruises but he is very, very shaken up. Even though he won’t say anything.
He’s barely spoken since he got in. Nothing I say to make him feel better is helping.
He doesn’t want me to phone the police. He doesn’t want a day off school tomorrow. Us picking him from school is impossible and he can’t really vary his route to bus station as it’s a small town. He says no one is available to walk with him to the bus stop as most of his friends go home in a different direction.
I also suspect he doesn’t want to be seen to be needing help.
Could someone please give me a fresh perspective on this?
Living where we do, he has been quite sheltered from this sort of thing.
And so have I.