Men in a van

[alphamummy]

I'm unsure why this bothered me so much, i'm not upset more annoyed that it happened.

Sorry i'll explain, i was walking on main road to playgroup 10am ish, with my 2 children in double buggy. I was dressed in jeans, winter coat and walking boots( not that it should matter at all what i had on). A van drove passed me pipped their horn and the driver shouted out of the window at me " fat split arse" and the bloke in the back also shouted "show us your fanny".

Why would you behave like that? I had my children with me.

I think its the fact that they pipped to get my attention to shout abuse at me.

Children meaning anyone under 16?

So in the case of the bus driver who said he would let my 13yo friend of her fare if she showed him her breasts, that would count as a really serious offence?

(My feeling is that since puberty had hit, the protection of being a child in the eyes of the law would be lessened).

Not necessarily, SQ - statutory rape, for example is a very serious offence in the eyes of the law when it involves a pubescent child - which it often does.

Sardine: in the case of the bus driver, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, maximum sentence 14 years. A child for this offence is anyone under the age of 16.

How many cases of consensual sex with a female under 16 but over puberty actually get taken to court though? I thought it was very unusual.

I thought hogsback was saying that it should be reported but that the courts wouldn't be interested in the more "minor" end of the scale Dittany. Which I'm sure is correct.

I think both are needed. The law being enforced certainly brings home how unacceptable some actions are.

Dittany: I specifically said that women should use the law in street harassment - see my very first post.

I've reiterated in several posts that the vast majority of the behaviour that often gets dismissed as "boys being boys etc" is criminal and can and should be prosecuted.

I'm sorry I gave the impression that I didn't think the law should be used in street harassment cases as this is the complete opposite of my beliefs.

Yes lots of people whinged about seat belts and drink driving when those laws came in.

But the law, enforcement and public education campaigns, meant that very few people now argue publicly for the right to drive drunk.

I posted a thread about something like this last year.

The annoying thing is the fact that the effect of it lasts in our minds far longer than it stays in the mind of the person who delivered it.

When it is from a moving vehicle you feel so powerless to say or do anything.

How about if everyone on this thread adds the Anti Street Harrassment Campaign link to their facebook page? There is a facebook button at the bottom of the website.

At least that would be something!

Must this be all arguey?

I have really enjoyed hogsback's posts, it's been interesting hearing how the law is set up at the moment. I can see the bit that you have picked up on there Dittany but she has clarified.

I think it would be useful to get this stuff reported, en masse. Then they couldn't brush it under the carpet.

If I had reported everything that happened whan I was under 20 I'd never have been out of the police station. And that is the reality, isn't it. It's awful.

I have added it to my facebook page.

ashcampaign.org/take-action/#comment-245

Alphamummy what a horrible thing to happen

I am in tears at the memory of the scores of times this kind of thing has happened to me from 14+. I have spent my entire life from that age trying to appear invisible to other people on the street. Aged 36 it seems to finally be starting to happen and I can't wait.

It is so wrong. There are many women who are stupid twats as well, but I can't recall a single incident of a woman shouting at me in the street, from a car etc. And the obscenity...just horrible.

In terms of the law being a "blunt instrument", let's face it - the laws against this type of harassment clearly exist, but what's the betting they, like the improved law against rape, wouldn't achieve much because of entrenched misogynistic attitudes on the part of police officers (see above), the legal profession and juries (should this type of offence go before a jury).

But the seatbelt/drink-driving point is an interesting one. And smoking is becoming less and less socially acceptable to a large extent because of more stringent laws being applied more stringently.

The difference is that the offences mentioned above have a female victim. Who, it appears, "invites" this type of comment merely by being female in a society where women are increasingly objectified.

Jeez, there's a lot of work to be done.

Thanks for the link BSM - duly added to my FB.

Awful! Ive had bad stuff like that ahoutd at me but the fact that the children were with you makes this awful! I once had piss chucked on me by some lads in a van and they shouted what they'd like to do to me too....filth.

Try to move on....I still think of the time those lads did that to me but it's fading now.

Every time it pops in my head I imagine myself rubbing their faces in cow turd.

Immaculada - the other difference is that seatbelts/smoking/drink-driving are absolute offences and easy to prove in court. The legislation around harassment and intimidation is wide open to clever lawyers mucking about which is one of the reasons why CPS drop such cases with depressing regularity.

theprovinciallady

SeeJane, that is absolutely disgusting

SeeJane that is the worst I have ever heard I was spat at by someone once, who had obviously filled his mouth with spit for the purpose. In the face. I was 16 and had to walk hom with it dripping down as I couldn't touch it. I had never set eyes on him before, what possible reason could he have for doing that? Or for men dowsing you in piss? It's like dogs marking their territory, pissing up lampposts. That is exactly what it is.

except the dogs aren't likely to kill/rape/hospitalise the lamp post...
So sorry you all had to experience this abuse. The bus driver should be reported to his workplace with a demand he has no further contact with the public. He has committed a criminal offence and may want to commit worse. Why risk it?