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Sexual assault

Danielle, Aged 14

1995

I might have finished athletics training and had been roller blading with friends and was on my way past Stanley Park front gates and I was called over by **** so I stopped to say hi, because he was a familiar face, a lad whom I knew. We chatted a couple of minutes and he was on his blades too. He suddenly grabbed me, groping me, grabbing my breasts, up my top and I was struggling to get away from him, and I ended up being knocked to the floor face down. He was all over me, he was soo soo strong, taller and bigger built than me, and he was pushing his hands pushing further into my pants and I’m screaming GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME! HELP! GET OFF ME! I was tearing up, it was dark, I was struggling and he was hurting me. The main road was quiet, and it felt like an eternity! I’m sure it was mid week too! I continued to shout GET OFF ME! HELP! HELP! HELP!… And then a car stopped! It was ****, from the athletics club. He got out his car, rushed over towards us and said are you okay!? I shouted HELP! NO! The lad got off me and skated off… I was shaken! It was someone I knew (he didn’t go to my school). I was shaking and in shock… I can’t remember now if **** dropped me off at my house or my boyfriend’s at the time. I didn’t tell ANYONE and I stopped going to athletics because of this. I never reported this, his mother was a teacher. I’m sure a few years later I saw him in a nightclub and I felt sick, and I went over to him asking why he did what he did to me and he denied it and told me to keep my mouth shut and nobody would believe me. In hindsight I should have reported it, as I reckon there would have been cameras that could have had the incident recorded to prove the sexual assault. Sadly there were other instances over the years in a variety of locations in Blackpool.

Note: Danielle recorded two other instances of sexual assault on our Google Form, one of which we regret we are unable to plot on the map as it took place in a private house and is therefore out of our remit in mapping public sexual harassment and violence. However, Danielle said that she is sharing these historical stories now for “liberation” and to support her in that cathartic process we have shared the third story along with the second one here. Thank you Danielle for choosing to share your stories now and on Reclaim Blackpool Map. Please click here if you require further information on support services.