What can I do about this? Everyone but me thinks it's a non issue

[MadMommaMemoo]

I don't even know if it I'd a feminist issue but I suspect it is.

Yesterday I was getting some things out of my car and had to lean quite far into the boot. 3 men were walking past, obviously been drinking, one of them grab my bottom and pinched it really hard for several seconds. I shouted and swore at him. He swaggered off laughing with his friends.

I actually feel upset and almost violated. My family think I am totally over reacting and that the man was just messing about. I feel sick that anyone could think this behaviour is acceptable

I just don't know what to do about it, I want to report it to the police but dh thinks they'll just laugh at me!

Well done for reporting it.

If every woman reported every instance of harassment, the police would come to a standstill and something would have to be done about it.

Good for you MadMomma, put DH in the dog house

Wouldn't like to be in his shoes

Yay! Go get 'em! I told my dp and he said 1. Report them; 2. YANBU; 3. Your dh lacks awareness. (He did not say of what. Sanity?)

Just adding my voice to the consensus. What an awful thing to happen to you. :( Let us know how it goes with police and with dh and send him here if he needs persuading of your right to be out in the street without being violated. :)

I think the police do take it seriously because I know someone who was put on the sex offenders register for doing exactly this to a woman.

Well done for reporting it to the police, hope you can get your DH to see sense.

another reason why you were right to report it: suppose he goes round doing this to loads of women, and in one of his assaults the victim knew who he was but there weren't any witnesses, this would enable her case to be taken more seriously and have a higher chance of success. And if it was the case he kept doing it and got caught, they might be able to match it up with your case and you would get to identify him.
probably this won't happen, but it might.

well done for standing up against the people around you and going to the police.

Thanks for reporting - it is very much an issue. Hope your partner starts to see it that way.

well done for reporting OP!!! i am furious for you that your family have so little respect for your human rights to accept this assault as just a bit of fun.

something similar happened to me in a bar at xmas and i screamed and caused a scene to get the man to stop touching me. the 'friends' i was with laughed at me and told me i was over reacting. for this reason i didn't report him and i feel so terrible about that now because that man certainly saw any resistance as encouragement. i would hate to think he went out on the street and was able to do it (or worse) to someone else because i hadn't reported him.

OP, I am so glad you reported this to the police. It does matter, it's not funny and I don't want it happening to me, you, my daughter, my mum, anyone.

Well done Memoo, you should be standing tall because you might not feel brave but you are taking a stand for all of us, and girls and women everywhere :)

So glad you reported this too, I understand how much courage it took for you.

x

MadMomma, how did the talk with DH go?