Have you ever been mugged or the victim of a physical assault

I've never been mugged (touch wood..!!) and I'm not sure what I would do if I ever was...   would I fight or run...?   Not sure...  I suppose instinct for the danger would decide that one...   the Police always say that you should just give in and do whatever the mugger wants to avoid physical harm...    if it was a one on one, then that's a very different situation to one person against a gang....

But...  doesn't that just perpetuate the problem...?  If we just give in, how will these thugs ever learn to change...?

And...   if you saw someone being mugged/assaulted would you step in a help..?   Its not an easy one to answer I suppose...  many years ago I helped a woman who was being assaulted by her boyfriend... I was driving and saw the assault just ahead of me...  I pulled over and the woman ran screaming at me for help...   I shouted to her to jump into the back of my car and once she was in I sped off up the road...  she was sobbing and hysterical...  it was very distressing....

I read an interesting story this evening by a journalist who was mugged at knife point... and at the end of the article it said that the mugger had only been released from prison two weeks earlier for a previous mugging crime...   he is clearly going to be a problem for society for a while then...

The mugger was caught because the journalist had the 'Find My Phone' app on his iPhone..   so.. the Police knew precisely where the mugger was..!

 

 

  

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Comments

  • I've taken a few digs over the years,comes with the territory of being a regular drinker in a big city for 20 plus years. On the odd occasion it has happened it's rarely been random,usually down to a misunderstanding or a disagreement involving a friend. Lots of it is bravado but I think you've gotta stand up for yourself,if you throw a few digs back,especially if it's someone you're likely to bump into again,there's much less chance of it happening again. A guy I had a disagreement with a few years ago (along with a few of his burly friends!)realised I wasn't a soft touch,next time I saw him we were fairly civil,shook hands and agreed it would go no further,if I hadn't have fought back I think I might well have been attacked again.
  • Never been mugged. I'd probably cry and hand over what ever they wanted. I like to think I'd stand up for myself, but I doubt I would really. 

    When I was 19 a friend and I left a club early and walked through Croydon to get a cab. Half way along the shopping street we met a group of teenagers coming the other way, three girls and two boys aged about 14/15. One of the girls blocked my friend path shouting "are you starting?" in her face. She knocked her to the floor and began kicking her in the chest, whilst holding her up by her hair. For a moment I stood there, and maybe if I'd done nothing they'd have left me alone. But I stepped forwards and said something like "what are you doing?", for my troubles I got knocked to the floor by one of the other girls, who despite being 4 years younger was bigger than me. She held me by my hair and kicked me in the chest. I didn't fight back, instead all I could think was that I didn't want to show my knickers to the boys! so while she kicked me in the chest I just held my skirt down! After (a minute? 30 seconds? not really sure) a while one of the boys said "OK that's enough" and they all went off in the other direction and we went the other way.

    In the morning I thought I'd be bruised but was suprise to find there wasn't a mark on me! She was wearing trainers, but she also can't have been kicking very hard! I sometimes think about whether I should have fought back, but then it could have escalated if we had.

  • The honest answer to the question is no, never be mugged (or worse). But I'm 310% sure that's down to luck, and someone interveening. 

    I like to think I would interveen, but i do wonder. 

  • miss slowmiss slow ✭✭✭

    I have been mugged, but it happened so fast and unexpectedly, I didn't really have time to think what to do.  In a flash I had been robbed and hit in the face.  I just remember seeing stars and being confused as to what had happened.  I think the only advice I can give is to be as totally aware of your surroundings and people around you as you can, to pre-empt anything & take evasive action, don't have your ipod on too loud!

  • M..o.useM..o.use ✭✭✭
    I was assaulted on the way home from spin last winter. A man who was clearly drunk or on drugs or both (he had red wine stained lips) stood in my path and was asking me directions to a local homeless shelter. When I tried to tell him I didn't know where it was, he punched me. I think he hit me three times before he let me pass. Every time I tried to side step him, he'd punch me again. I was really angry and he did only let me pass when I shouted at him that he could hit me again but I still didn't know where he was going and could he please ask someone else.



    This was in a fairly central location in Bristol. I'm sure there would have been other people nearby. Nobody stopped but I expect the interaction only lasted two mins tops.



    My friends wanted me to report it but I couldn't remember what he looked like. Fortunately the blows were not to the face but I did bruise.
  • I was assaulted by a drunk woman whilst walking my dog. She had her kids with her image and was rolling. Her dog was out of control and after remonstrating with her, she punched me. Too drunk to aim, it didn't hurt me...it did horrify me that she had children watching all this.

    I was also assaulted badly by an ex partner. Out of the blue and no precipitating factors. I regret not calling the police. My shock and disbelief was such, that I just carried on with life taking a few days off work to allow brusing on face and neck to fade. He got away scot free. I'm really cross with myself for that. I didn't think anyone would believe me and worried they might blame me in some way (because it was so out of character)

     

    If I saw someone assaulting a woman or child I would intervene. Personal risk would mean I'd reach for my phone and call the police if it was a bloke

  • I've been assaulted a few times, and everytime I've stood my ground. The worry is now youths don't just hit people, they carry knives and worse. Everytime I walk through my old estate I worry I won't leave it.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    I've never been mugged or assaulted (touch wood) but I have stepped in when a friend was been attacked. I didnt even touch them- i just shouted "WHAT THE F**K DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"... followed by a few other sentences and then ran towards them and they ran off.

  • I was sexually assaulted on the tube when I was 15 - couldn't scream, couldn't struggle and couldn't fight back. All I could do when the tube stopped was say "get off me" and he ran. I didn't tell anyone until I was 19 one Christmas break from uni and it was met with total nonchalance "it happens...get over it". This was from my otherwise very supportive parents.

    I was assaulted again by a colleague last summer - I'll not bore you all with the story...it's already been said. But I think it is why now I'm quite prickly in crowded situations. I don't trust anyone that I don't know well in a large group.

    I've intervened a physical assault on a teenage boy at T wells station at rush hour. People were just walking past and I couldn't do the same. I ended up pinned to a wall by my throat by the attacker after I yelled at them to stop. The boy ran off...I'm glad he was ok. My parents didn't believe me though...

  • BookyBooky ✭✭✭

    I've been mugged - many years ago. I was in a wheelchair at the time and really didn't feel that there was anything I could do. 

    I was also assaulted whilst at school - again in my wheelchair. The class bully thought it would be funny to tip my chair over and leave me sprawled on the floor. I couldn't walk at the time and struggled to get back up. No one intervened. 

    Re. intervening - I have, and I would again. I was working at a library and we had a book sale out the front of the building. A man (big guy - 6ft plus easily) and a woman were screaming at each other, and he grabbed her and slammed her into the wall. I was with three colleagues, and 10-15 people looking through the books. No one did anything, so I ran towards them shouting at him to let her go, and then back at my colleagues to call the police. He ran off, and the woman gave me a mouthful of abuse image 

    If I were to witness something again, I would try and assess the situation before I intervened. That's easier said than done in the heat of the moment though... 

  • I got mugged about 12 years ago.. Broad day light having used a cash point on Tottenham Court Rd on a Saturday lunch time.. Didn;t like the look of the carving knife the guy had !!!

  • geezz..   some awful stories....

     

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    A few years ago I was trekking in Nepal.  I was with a group of other trekkers, our guide, and some sherpas when we were approached by a handful (three or four) of Maoist rebels and asked to pay our "tax".

    These guys were mild-mannered, neatly dressed, quietly spoken, and I couldn't for the life of me understand why we didn't just decline and keep walking.

    The Maoists were polite, but insistent.  They even gave receipts.

    I was really quite cross that the others were all just handing over money - even though it wasn't a lot, about five quid a person.  I was more angry at the others in the group for being so bloody spineless!

    Once they had gone, the guide told me that the leader had opened his bag and shown him that he had a gun.

  • The joys of living in Northern Ireland during the Troubles: MrGFB and my dad were in our van and running a bunch of stuff to the dump - only to be hijacked at gun point.  These guys got into the back of the van and held a gun to MrGFB's head and told him to drive to a certain location.  They were then turned out of the van and told to go to a certain pub and wait until a certain time before calling the police.  All of which they did.

    The van was used as the vehicle for a mortar attack - it was on a police station next to an old people's home.  The old people were evacuated and I heard that one of them had died afterwards.

    The hijackers were all caught and went on trial and did time...it was a very scary time. image

  • only ever physically assulted by one person.............unfortunately not much i can do about it and just hope it won't continue for too much longer.............sometimes there is no choice in these matters as to whether you fight back or not........

  • Not me directly but out with my uncle and his friend, a lad jumped in front of them and asked to handover money, phones etc. Uncle's friend saw an opportunity and hit this lad once and he went straight to the floor. They restrained him and called the police - it was only after the adrenaline had worn off that my uncle said "I'm not sure I could've done that given that he had the knife, you've got some balls!". "WHAT KNIFE?!" came the response... He hadn't seen the lad carrying the knife by his side. He had to sit down after that!

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    seren nos wrote (see)

    only ever physically assulted by one person.............unfortunately not much i can do about it and just hope it won't continue for too much longer.............sometimes there is no choice in these matters as to whether you fight back or not........

    Seren, there must be something you can do?  Doesn't matter who it is.  People can help.

  • Hog-mouseHog-mouse ✭✭✭

    A strange event as I was walking through London and a man started to approach me from the side. As I turned someone shouted "POLICE" and the man was floored right at my feet. I just stepped over the lot of them and carried on my way.

  • I was with a group of guys in artic Sweden and we were stopped at the border with Norway by some young Swedish soldiers, they cocked their automatic weapons and made us get down on the ground, in the snow.  I remember being in a state of shock, then a senior Swedish officer came running up in a panic and realised a situation with some real diplomatic possibilities was happening on his shift and got everything back to normal service.

  • My auntie ran a post office (on her own) for many years in a village in Derbyshire.  Over the years she was held up at gunpoint twice in her little post office and cleaned out.  She is a devout Christian and her faith has helped her forgive the little b*stards and recover from the traumas.  She is an amazing lady.

  • Lived in Africa for 7 years - got mugged 8 times, 3 of which involved being stabbed/cut with knives and once bashed with (the blunt side of) a machete! Apart from that, it was great fun........image

  • I spent some time as a Street Pastor a few years ago and on one occasion 3 guys wandering through the town centre were jumped by some youths. Two of the guys went down hard, one bouncing off a shop window. Two of the team went racing towards things while myself and the coordinator were yelling at them to stop before they ended up in the middle of something and getting hurt.

    On a separate occasion two of us were checking if a chap who was drunk and lying on the floor was ok. The guy started talking to us in Polish, I was closest to him and he suddenly lashed out and grabbed old of the necklace I was wearing. I didn't even think but grabbed at his hand, pried it open and took the necklace back. If he'd been slightly more sober I expect I'd have come off worse for wear.

     

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    seren nos wrote (see)

    only ever physically assulted by one person.............unfortunately not much i can do about it and just hope it won't continue for too much longer.............sometimes there is no choice in these matters as to whether you fight back or not........

    Seren, that sounds quite worrying...if it's continuning there must be a way to stop it...unless you mean a seriously ill relative who doesn't know what they're doing?

  • ShivaShiva ✭✭✭

    I've been attacked 3 times... once 2 guys jumped me from behind and pulled me to the ground and started to kick me.  No warning, no confrontation it happened very fast, and I managed to get to my feet and run.  Another time, me and 2 friends were surrounded by a group of teenagers and they took my cake.  I wasn't asaulted but my friends were.  The third time was a face to face mugging, and I fought back causing a lot of harm to the guy who attacked me.  I hate violence and am still ashamed that I reacted in that way.  Not a side to me that I like, and one I thought had gone a long time previously.

  • MartenkayMartenkay ✭✭✭

    I'm 6ft 2ins 12.5stone. I don't go about with a mobile at my ear, don't go about with I.pod wires, don't wear jewellery (except Ironman watch) and don't use a mans' shoulderbag. I don't look a good target for an attacker.

    A friend was waiting for a bus about three years ago when a crowd of young guys ran past and one lashed out with a single punch to his cheek. A lot of blood from the mouth and a loose tooth. He went to his dentist the next day and was immediately taken to hospital with a badly broken cheekbone that needed wired up. Never got back to work for 4/5 weeks. Look at the brawls you see in films and TV that end with barely a hair out of place! 

  • Stevie g/ wilkie.things are improving and hopefully will again.........but if a partner abuses you there are lots of help and support groups you can go to.............if your child does then there are none out there........I am lucky that things are improving and getting rarer and can see that it will probably stop one day........many parents are not in that position...........

  • Seren -a friend was in this situation. She took action before he became an adult in the eyes of the law and he spent a night in a cell. It stopped from then on.  I'm sure you have been given advice and don't presume it is that simple at all image

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Not good Seren...i'm not sure how old you are, but presuming the child is teens or even adult....so potentially very dangerous too...I'm sure if it got unmanagable you'd have to do what Madge says.

    Martenkay...presumably you also look tough and not one to mess with, as 12.5 stone at 6ft 2 doesn't sound too stacked to me...image

  • MartenkayMartenkay ✭✭✭

    Seren Nos nobody is allowed to assault you without repercussions. Your own child can be a sensitive issue but............

    If your own discipline has not worked something stronger can be like a freezing cold shower to a badly behaved youngster. If it does not bring anyone to their senses at least they know what to expect in future - Police. It is mistaken to think by reporting you are admitting you have failed. How will you feel if somebody else reports your child for assault? My niece caused dreadful problems for her family.

    If your child has a medical problem that produces the violent action then you need to tell the doctor so that arrangements can be made for assessment.

    Do you really think by taking action your child will love you less?

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