Amy has struggled to feel safe ever since she was targeted and mugged on a busy London high street.
Amy, left frustrated with an unhelpful police, now feels unsafe walking alone as a woman.
This is her story 👇
[THREAD]
Amy, left frustrated with an unhelpful police, now feels unsafe walking alone as a woman.
This is her story 👇
[THREAD]
Amy had finished her workday and decided to run to the local pharmacy to pick up a prescription.
She pulled out her phone to check her to-do list but felt a ‘looming presence’ coming up from behind her.
She pulled out her phone to check her to-do list but felt a ‘looming presence’ coming up from behind her.
‘My phone was being snatched from my hands, black gloves that weren’t mine clinging tightly to it.’
She tried to hold on but her muggers had an advantage.
‘They were on a moped and physically much stronger than me, but my instincts told me to hold on to the phone.’
She tried to hold on but her muggers had an advantage.
‘They were on a moped and physically much stronger than me, but my instincts told me to hold on to the phone.’
'I ended up being dragged along by the speed of the moped, phoneless and bleeding from the fall.'
Locals kindly helped her get up from the ground and tended to her wounds.
‘Thank you, to the local newsagent who disinfected the wounds on my hands and bandaged them up for me….’
‘Thank you, to the local newsagent who disinfected the wounds on my hands and bandaged them up for me….’
‘….And thank you to the witness who walked me home and helped find me CCTV footage when I was too upset to think practically.'
'You all reminded me in such an awful moment that my attacker was the anomaly, not the norm.'
'You all reminded me in such an awful moment that my attacker was the anomaly, not the norm.'
Amy’s partner helped her report and blacklist her phone so it couldn’t be sold on. She then filed a police report to no avail.
She was told that despite CCTV footage there was ‘no hope’ of identifying the perpetrator and the case was closed within 48hrs.
She was told that despite CCTV footage there was ‘no hope’ of identifying the perpetrator and the case was closed within 48hrs.
‘I was told this in an email that misspelled my name.’
‘A small detail, but the carelessness left me questioning whether I had been taken seriously at all.’
‘A small detail, but the carelessness left me questioning whether I had been taken seriously at all.’
‘In the days that followed I was a muddled mess and struggled to concentrate on anything. My mind kept drifting back to the incident and I tormented myself with thoughts of what I could have done differently.’
Amy says this incident has had a lasting impact on her.
‘While a phone is replaceable, my self-confidence is not. It took me a week to face going outside in the dark by myself again.’
‘While a phone is replaceable, my self-confidence is not. It took me a week to face going outside in the dark by myself again.’
In an attempt at finding some answers, Amy learnt that unfortunately, this kind of theft is common.
Reports have shown that over 100 muggings each year have taken place on the same road alone. There’s little the police are willing to do about it, and so the cycle continues.
Reports have shown that over 100 muggings each year have taken place on the same road alone. There’s little the police are willing to do about it, and so the cycle continues.
This left Amy feeling like the streets are not safe, especially for women.
A recent investigation by a police watchdog into violence against women shares this sentiment.
It found that women are not a priority within the police’s strategic requirements – this is coming from the top down.
It found that women are not a priority within the police’s strategic requirements – this is coming from the top down.
Amy also says that sharing her experience with her friends has shown her that she’s not alone in feeling unsafe as a woman.
‘One friend told me they only walk towards oncoming traffic now. Someone else has ordered self-defence spray. The list goes on.’
‘One friend told me they only walk towards oncoming traffic now. Someone else has ordered self-defence spray. The list goes on.’
Amy thinks the onus should not be on women to lower their risk.
‘Even the term ‘violence against women’ feels problematic. We need to change the narrative from burdening women to holding men responsible for their actions.’
‘Even the term ‘violence against women’ feels problematic. We need to change the narrative from burdening women to holding men responsible for their actions.’
‘Investigations mean nothing unless action is taken – the government needs to empower the police to take crimes reported by women seriously.’
Amy is still recovering from this traumatic event.
‘I still can’t help but jump when a moped speeds past me, the noise taking me right back to that Tuesday evening.’
‘I still can’t help but jump when a moped speeds past me, the noise taking me right back to that Tuesday evening.’
‘Friends and family have said it could have been worse, but that’s what scares me the most.'
'My vulnerability has been exposed and witnessing first-hand that women’s safety is not a priority is an experience I won’t forget anytime soon.’
'My vulnerability has been exposed and witnessing first-hand that women’s safety is not a priority is an experience I won’t forget anytime soon.’
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