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Teenagers

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Original poster

DD assaulted in Manchester

107 replies

Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:20

My DD17 went into Manchester with her boyfriend after school. She was being a bit daft practising her sidekicks (Morecambe and Wise style). She accidentally landed about a metre behind a girl and made her jump. DD apologised.

The girl and her female (14-15 years old) friends started ranting at DD. Then, DD was thumped in the face and knocked to the floor. The boys in the group started trying to hit DD’s boyfriend so he couldn’t go and help.

A couple of homeless men asked DD if she knew the girls and when she said, no, they helped her to get away. DD asked the homeless men to go and get her BF. Which they did.

All this happened in a main, busy shopping area, two weeks ago. She’s only just told me as she thought I would probably stop her from going into the city. I don’t know what to do or say. She seems okay and doesn’t want to report it.

I don’t really know why I’m writing on here, other than I’m struggling to get my head around things.

OP posts:
Azandme · 20/02/2025 20:22

Oh my goodness that's horrific!

I hope she's not suffering any lasting effects.

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:24

Azandme · 20/02/2025 20:22

Oh my goodness that's horrific!

I hope she's not suffering any lasting effects.

She seems okay, finds it very bizarre. Luckily she’s not overthinking things. That’s my job!

OP posts:
ToBeOrNotToBee · 20/02/2025 20:25

No one deserves to be attacked.

But also, play stupid games you win stupid prizes

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:30

ToBeOrNotToBee · 20/02/2025 20:25

No one deserves to be attacked.

But also, play stupid games you win stupid prizes

Doing sidekicks is daft and fun but not stupid. There is no way that it should have prompted such a reaction.

OP posts:
ThejoyofNC · 20/02/2025 20:31

I'm going to guess that she didn't tell you an accurate version of events when it comes to the landing a metre away part.

Anyway, sorry she was attacked, sounds awful.

Hoppinggreen · 20/02/2025 20:31

Your DD didn't deserve this and its not her fault at all but as in all big cities it is a good idea to keep your wits about you a bit and avoid any potential trouble.
Manchester isn't too bad but in some areas like Picadilly gardens there IS an issue with groups of kids causing trouble and it is a good idea to be aware

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:36

I need to ask her boyfriend to tell me what happened and see if their stories fully match up. She is quite aware in Manchester, and other cities, to be over cautious.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 20/02/2025 20:38

Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:36

I need to ask her boyfriend to tell me what happened and see if their stories fully match up. She is quite aware in Manchester, and other cities, to be over cautious.

You don't really.
She is old enough for you to mind your business apart from reminding her to be more careful

babyfornine · 20/02/2025 20:38

Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:36

I need to ask her boyfriend to tell me what happened and see if their stories fully match up. She is quite aware in Manchester, and other cities, to be over cautious.

I wouldn't trust that her boyfriend would tell you the truth, he's going to stand by his gf's story not tell tales to her mum.

cryinglaughing · 20/02/2025 20:41

She sounds pretty childish, is it the sort of thing she does regularly, sidekicks?

Not that she deserves to be beaten up but she should be more aware of how to behave in public.

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:42

babyfornine · 20/02/2025 20:38

I wouldn't trust that her boyfriend would tell you the truth, he's going to stand by his gf's story not tell tales to her mum.

Show quote history

You’re right. She will be soon going away to university. I am thankful she’s told me and it has happened now. If it makes her more cautious in the future, I suppose that’s a positive.

OP posts:
Tulipsandaffodils · 20/02/2025 20:45

I also suspect there is more to this than you’re being told, and that’s when th4 younger kids started ranting, what your daughter and her boyfriend did, ie rant back. It clearly escalated then into a physical fight.

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:46

cryinglaughing · 20/02/2025 20:41

She sounds pretty childish, is it the sort of thing she does regularly, sidekicks?

Not that she deserves to be beaten up but she should be more aware of how to behave in public.

No, she’s not childish as in young for her age. She doesn’t normally go around sidekicking.

OP posts:
Coconutter24 · 20/02/2025 20:48

Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:30

Doing sidekicks is daft and fun but not stupid. There is no way that it should have prompted such a reaction.

Show quote history

It is stupid to be doing sidekicks in a public place where there is obviously people close enough to land near. Common sense was lacking but that certainly does not justify being attacked

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:50

Tulipsandaffodils · 20/02/2025 20:45

I also suspect there is more to this than you’re being told, and that’s when th4 younger kids started ranting, what your daughter and her boyfriend did, ie rant back. It clearly escalated then into a physical fight.

There could be more and probably is. But she’s definitely not one who gets into fights. She would apologise but would also answer back. It could have escalated.

OP posts:
NC28 · 20/02/2025 20:54

Where abouts in MCR did this happen?

Sunnydays25 · 20/02/2025 20:58

Groups of mid-teens can be very touchy and turn violent if they think they're being 'disrespected'.

It sounds like your daughter hasn't been too troubled by it, as she didn't tell you right away. I would be shaken if I was you, but at least she saw some decency from the homeless men who went to their aid.

It will maybe make her a bit more aware of her surrondings, and aware that some people are irrational and will square up to you if they feel in any way slighted.

Fencehedge · 20/02/2025 21:00

If you've not taught her how to behave in public, then it's hardly a surprise when she draws attention to herself. No, sidekicks in public are not "fun". She was in fact stupid.

NeedToKnow101 · 20/02/2025 21:13

Crikey! A lot of victim-blaming on this thread!

BatchCookBabe · 20/02/2025 21:19

Sorry to hear this @Livinganewadventure I hope your DD OK. 17 is still really young. No wonder you're worried! Flowers Give her a hug from me. 🤗

Mauro711 · 20/02/2025 21:19

I don’t think you can do anything other than reiterate that she cannot under any circumstances do random sidekick’s in busy areas. I doubt she will and maybe she will feel a little less comfortable out and about which is a shame, but she sounds robust enough to get over this quite quickly. Having said that, the reason she told you this now is probably because she’s still processing it and needs reassurance from you.

Original poster
Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 21:25

NeedToKnow101 · 20/02/2025 21:13

Crikey! A lot of victim-blaming on this thread!

Thank you! I was thinking I was being an over emotional parent with the replies.

OP posts:
calexico · 20/02/2025 21:27

Sorry this happened to your daughter OP. You are certainly not being over emotional. Being attacked in public, side kicks or not, is a horrendous thing to have happened to her.

Toopdeloop · 20/02/2025 21:27

I had a similar thing happen in Glasgow with my brother when I was 17 and my brother was 15. We were walking along buchanan street and a guy about my age walked up and pretended to square up to my brother but then carried on walking, my brother made a kind of 'pff' noise which the guy didn't notice but his friend walking a bit behind him did and he jumped on my brother and attacked him, the first guy then turned back and started running in to go for my brother as well but I blocked him and punched the guy to the ground, my brother managed to get the other guy off of him and just at that point we saw that there were more in the group, mainly girls about my age, further down the road all running straight for us so we just ran. We managed to get to a bar an older friend of mine was the bouncer at and we ran in there and they just left it after that. We didn't tell our parents for the same reason that your daughter didn't. It shook us up at the time but it's not traumatised us, just taught us to always keep our wits about us. I'm just sharing this story as a way of saying that I'm sure your daughter will be OK and if anything it will have taught her a real lesson about keeping yourself safe.

ItGhoul · 20/02/2025 21:32

Livinganewadventure · 20/02/2025 20:30

Doing sidekicks is daft and fun but not stupid. There is no way that it should have prompted such a reaction.

Show quote history

It is very stupid to do it in the street around other people. I’m sorry she got thumped but it wasn’t an assault that came from nowhere and I don’t think you’re getting a full picture of what happened.

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