Play celebrating the female Samaritans who took obscene phone calls

[Abeona]

In the 90s I shared an office with a women who volunteered for the Samaritans and talked about all the men who got a kick out of making obscene phone calls. She eventually left because of it. Now a man's written a play celebrating these 'heroines.' Not sure I can find words to express how dubious and sickening I find the whole thing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy990823ekg

I don't think Harry Mould is a man, they appear to be thw daughter of one of the call handlers. I remember hearing about this line and thinking it was a pretty bad idea, though. Some things SHOULDN'T be acceptable.

Harriet

Harry is a woman. There's a photo of her in that article. It's very-well written. the sentiment behind the Brenda line may have been misguided (the theory is that some of the men who called still may have needed friendship and support) but the play sounds excellent.

Edward “Chad” Varah assumed the fact these men were calling the Samaritans was significant. It wasn't, they just knew it was a way to get an unknown woman on the phone. I had a friend at Directory Enquiries, they used to get perv calls as well.

Stupid man to assume men who want to force women to be part of boundary-pushing conversations are just reaching out for help. Every women could have told him they get off on the woman being unable to get herself out of the situation.

I used to work on a cancer helpline. We had a free phone number and used to get men ringing us trying to get pervy kicks asking us about our undies etc. I suspect any woman who has worked on a free phone helpline of any kind has had this kind of call. Perves gonna perve

Fraid the fact that Harry turns out to be Harriet makes no difference to me, but thanks for clarifying. I feel really sorry for all the women who were gaslit by Varah into accepting abuse.

I used to work on a helpline and sex callers were frequent. We would staff in pairs, and if on rota with a male and they happened to pick up, caller would hang up and ring again. But sometimes people who were struggling to talk, or wanted to speak to a female for non perverted reasons would do that as well.

I can't believe that phone line existed for 29 years!

Shudders

I was a volunteer on a student peer support line at university and we used to get this - same bloke every night.

We were told just listen and don't worry about it, he's harmless.

Makes me feel sick now to think of my teenage self (and so many others) being used like this and not being supported to stop it.