Suzie M.
Aged 27, 1979
I was standing outside the store with a loft ladder purchase waiting for my husband to drive around to pick me up. Up to half a dozen Scottish men (the prom was really busy and it was very hot – I believe it was known as Scots week) came up to me and began verbally abusing me with sexual innuendos. I had given birth to my second child just a couple of weeks before so was feeling especially vulnerable. I tried to ignore them then implored them to leave me alone – I told them my husband would be here in a minute. I couldn’t just leave as holding this ladder then one or two of them started touching my very full to bursting breasts (I was due to breast feed my new baby so guess thats why they picked on me). Horrifyingly another then grabbed my bottom from behind and another my privates from the front. I was terrified and called out for help and cannot to this day understand why no passerby came to my aid – not even the guy selling pens right next to me who saw what was happening! Thankfully my husband arrived within a minute or two and they ran off – I could hardly speak to tell him. I believe this attack scarred me for life and I’m very nervous when I see similar gangs of men even in crowded areas…. I’m triggered by that smell of alcohol around men especially around a sexual partner. It feels very strange to be writing about this after so many years and recalling such a traumatic experience with such clarity and disgust … I can still feel that sensation of helplessness and fear. Of course I should have reported it but in some ways it seemed then that you just got on with it as almost the expected behaviour of men towards women!.