Assault on East Dulwich Road Opposite Goose Green Playground

[Jan42]

Sharing in case a similar thing has happened to others recently.

Today at 3pm on East Dulwich Road, opposite Goose Green Playground, a white male in a group of three white males lunged at me (26year old female) with his arm outstretched, as if to stab or punch. He yellled in my face and then laughed.

He was relatively short and stocky, round face, short hair, possibly bald. Wore a dark puffer jacket, with hood up, possibly a gilet with dark hoody underneath. One friend was taller with brown floppy hair. They were walking towards Goose Green roundabout/Lordship Lane.

Police report has been processed, but if you have any information on other cases like this please share.

[mynamehere]

Because of the recent killing in Clapham there's a raised awareness of these assaults. Be sure to tell the police, take a reference number and follow up askinging what they have done

[Penguin68]

I suspect (horribly) that it was the terrible event that triggered this - as a case of bullying/ mistaken 'humour' (I use that word wrongly). 'Women are scared now, I'll do a scary thing, won't that be funny?' (Not).

I'm sure his mates laughed like drains.

[Jan42]

I share that suspicion Penguin68 - but I didn?t understand at the time that this incident was common assault.

I have the crime reference number and will get an update.

Keen to spread awareness of crimes like this and to encourage others report. It?s not just bullying from a stranger, it?s criminal activity.

[JohnL]

That is common assault. In the past the police/CPP won't usually pursue it - maybe that's changed ?

[JohnL]

Hmm - make your own view of what is likely to happen (in the end people stop reporting or just ring 101 for information)

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/minor-offences

[savvygirl]

This type of assault is nothing new. I am no longer a young woman but in the past, when I was, I can count at least four incidents where I had been followed and even stalked. At the time it never occurred to me to report the stalking incidents to the police. On one occasion I was followed from the bus stop and my potential attacker was in front of me. He hid himself in the entrance to a block of flats and then, once I'd passed, he came out and was behind me. I turned around and faced him and he ran off. This happened over 40 years ago but the feeling of being vulnerable has never left me so psychologically it affected me quite badly. This was back in the 80s and to this day I am very aware of who's behind me or in front of me.

[tedfudge]

If any female is feeling scared or harassed and think they are being followed and you are walking along Barry road you are welcome to knock on my door for help or safety my wife will let you in or help in anyway that she can

My door number is 63a..

[womanofdulwich]

I concur with savvy girl. All those things that have happened to us as girls/ women that we think we have hidden away and tried to block come flooding back when we hear things like this.

Jo Brand was spot on

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2017/nov/04/jo-brands-speech-on-sexual-harassment-silences-all-male-panel-on-have-i-got-news-for-you-video

[siousxiesue]

Sadly it was while dressed as a schoolgirl that I had my first experiences of harassment.

The fact that it's second nature for us to do these 'protective' things is an indictment.

Sorry to hear that Jan, hope you're ok.

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> I concur with savvy girl. All those things that

> have happened to us as girls/ women that we think

> we have hidden away and tried to block come

> flooding back when we hear things like this.

> Jo Brand was spot on

> https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2017/nov

> /04/jo-brands-speech-on-sexual-harassment-silences

> -all-male-panel-on-have-i-got-news-for-you-video

[alice]

Ted - good post

[tedfudge]

alice Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ted - good post

My real name is DAVID

TEDFUDGE is the name of 2 of my dogs sadly Ted died last year... my wifes name is KIM the porch light is usually on from 10pm as I leave to go to work at 11pm. But if you are afraid or in fear of your safety just bang as hard or loud as you can and my wife will answer the door I have dogs so they will bark aswell plus my daughter and her boyfriend are there so there is plenty of help if needed...

[redjam]

Sorry to hear about your experience, Jan42. Really horrid. I think the murder of that poor girl in Clapham has stirred up a lot of anger from all those of us who have ever been harassed in public spaces (i.e. pretty much every woman or teenage girl). Even just a mild harassment adds to the fear that is hardwired into us from a young age from media reports to endless TV dramas in which the victim is inevitably young and female. It's not OK.

[savvygirl]

That's rotten for you Jan42 and I very much sympathize. If these young men are identified and police are able to obtain their names and addresses I wonder how brave they would be in front of Mum and Dad?

[Monkey]

Sorry to hear. Was there no-one around to help and challenge the behaviour?

[AylwardS]

This has been reported - JAN42 I hope you are ok.

If something happens that seems too trivial to report to the police I?ve just seen you can report harassment as a crime online. The police definition of what?s a crime had some things I?ve not thought would count just as the OP didn?t realise this was assault at first.

If you don?t need immediate help and 999 isn?t an option maybe report on https://www.police.uk/pu/contact-the-police/report-a-crime-incident/ so the police get. a picture of what?s happening in the area. A one-off incident to you might be more of a bigger picture you can?t know about.

Let something good come out of the focus on harassment of women that recent events have brought up.

[Cora]

Just read this article....it rings very true sadly...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/12/what-happened-women-uk-harassed-street

[Pugwash]

Find out when/where your Safer Neighbourhood Police Team hold their meeting and participate in them. Dulwich Hill SNT held their meeting over Zoom. Not sure when the next meeting is due.

[malumbu]

We should all feel safe to go out of our house, and we live in a city and country with relatively low crime rate. We can all do things to reduce the risks of assault and I expect most of us avoid dark alley ways in run down industrial areas. Any abuse is wrong and I hope society can work together to make the streets even safer.

Reporting it to the police will enable them to gather intelligence, so whilst unlikely to take action on a single report, if there is a pattern then they will be on the look out. The Safer Neighbourhood Team has always been very helpful when we have been in similar situations.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Pugwash Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Find out when/where your Safer Neighbourhood

> Police Team hold their meeting and participate in

> them. Dulwich Hill SNT held their meeting over

> Zoom. Not sure when the next meeting is due.

I am not a fan of the Met after last night's display. HOWEVER, tbf I emailed my local Safer Neighbourhood Team over something minor, and they responded very quickly and efficiently.

[lameduck]

Ted Fudge

you are a good man

and your Kim is also good

stay safe

[tedfudge]

lameduck Wrote:

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> Ted Fudge

> you are a good man

> and your Kim is also good

> stay safe

Thank you

[JohnL]

AylwardS Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If something happens that seems too trivial to

> report to the police I?ve just seen you can report

> harassment as a crime online. The police

> definition of what?s a crime had some things I?ve

> not thought would count just as the OP didn?t

> realise this was assault at first.

Report everything so they can add it to the crime map as an "incident" if nothing else.

https://www.police.uk/pu/contact-the-police/report-a-crime-incident/

[Nik]

Exactly the same thing happened to me around a month ago. Walking back from working in school around 4pm I was near Harris Boys School. Group of 3 men aged 20-30s one stocky man bald meeting the OP description pulled my hat off and shouted loudly in my face. It came out of nowhere and was really frightening. They all kept walking laughing.

This sounds like exactly like the same group and extremely concerning that this is a pattern. I was furious and shouted back at them but they kept walking. I did not report this to the police and in the course of the last week I have thought back to this event. I will report to police tomorrow, I?ve sent OP a DM to get reference number to link my complaint.

The impression I got was that they were amusing themselves by scaring a lone woman on her own. They were not kids, these were grown men.

[tedfudge]

@Nik

Not grown men just cowards