What To Do If You Are Verbally Assaulted in Public
Being the victim of verbal harassment in a public space can be both infuriating and terrifying at the same time. You can never be completely sure of how mentally, or emotionally, stable a stranger and it is never acceptable behaviour regardless of their reasoning. If this has happened to you before, you will know how uncomfortable it is to deal with and just how quickly the situation can escalate into something far worse. Below are 5 tips for what to do if this ever happens to you or a friend or loved one.
Stay Calm
The most vital thing to remember if you are ever verbally threatened and assaulted in public, especially when you’re travelling and in a strange place, is to stay calm. The last thing you want in a potentially dangerous situation like this is for the person assaulting you to get angrier. Anger doesn’t solve anything and often it just makes things a lot worse. Keep a level head in a situation like this by taking a few deep breaths, remember that you are opting for the moral (and legal) high road.
Don’t Make It Worse
You should never antagonise the person assaulting you, especially if it is visibly clear that they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Remember that street harassment comes in many forms, including feeling pressured into crossing the road or having to pretend that you are on a call. These tactics can help you avoid making the situation worse but that doesn’t mean they should become part of your daily routine – we all have the right to feel safe when we are in a public space. Common assault could result in numerous charges, but you need to stay calm so that no blame can be placed on you.
Call For Help
If you are in a dark alley or there aren’t many people around, never be afraid to call for help. Calling for help will raise the attention of others around you which will hopefully end the verbal assault and keep you safe in public. Most people who verbally assault strangers are cowards and will back off when they see you have some backup. If you feel that you are in danger, then you need to phone the police or ask an onlooker to call them on your behalf.
Report It to The Police
Always report any incidents of street harassment to the police. They will need as much info from you as possible to lay a charge against the person that assaulted you. If possible, take a video on your phone that clearly shows your attackers face and any uniquely identifying details of that person such as tattoos or birthmarks.
Consult A Lawyer
Once the police have assisted you, and you have your assaulter’s details – you can now proceed with taking legal action against them for what they did to you. No form of assault is acceptable, and you have every right to hold that person accountable for their grossly unacceptable behaviour and conduct. Public harassment is both a criminal offence and a civil action.
