mauled at the jobcentre

starry eyed · #1 11th February 2013, 22:22

I went to this appointment today at the jobcentre, i was told i could bring someone with me otherwise i never would have gone i never go out alone and rarely go out at all.
so when we got there we was told that my sister couldn’t come in with me and had to wait upstairs whilst i went downstairs to another waiting room, i was feeling pretty anxious about this already when some guy comes up to me and starts harassing me for my number, i don’t have much confidence these days so i didn’t look up just said I’m not interested, he went on and on trying to get my number, wrote his down and gave it to me and asked when i was going to call him, i told him i wasn’t going to call him i wasn’t interested, he put his hand under my chin and lifted my head and said give me a try, i told him i had a boyfriend and i really wasn’t interested at all he then squished my breast really hard, i jumped up burst into the office of the guy i was meant to be seeing, he had someone else with him at the time, i told him that c**t over there just grabbed my breast and has been harassing me, that i felt uncomfortable and needed to leave.
As i walked out of the room and into the corridor the guy was there standing half inside the toilets grabbed my arm as i walked past and tried to pull me in, i started screaming at him and pulled my arm away, i was about to burst into tears at any moment i was horribly embarrassed and just wanted to leave right away.
after i got home i called the guy to say i didn’t want to come back again i don’t feel safe there and he told me I’d have to come in to make an official complaint !!! If only they had let me take someone in with me like they said i could none of this would have happened I’m trying to fight back the urge to curl up and never leave the house again.

Caribou · #2 11th February 2013, 22:27

That is absolutely disgusting. What a repulsive creep. I can hardly believe what I've just read here

I hope you're OK

black_mamba · #3 11th February 2013, 22:34

Reading that made me so angry, I'm sorry you've had this happen to you!! Most job centre staff are a bit dim in my experience and are no help with anything. If you wanted to I'm sure the police could get involved, perhaps there were witnesses or CCTV in the centre? Wish I was there, would've shouted obscenities at him until he buggered off.

png · #4 11th February 2013, 22:39

Good grief, that's terrible

starry eyed · #5 11th February 2013, 22:40

yeh im ok thanks, the police are involved now my sister talked me into it after i calmed down abit.
No cctv inside the jobcentre but a few outside on the street, also he would have signed in to get inside the building so maybe that will help

misska · #6 11th February 2013, 22:43

that's awful hope your OK now and they manage to catch the man who did it,

black_mamba · #7 11th February 2013, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by starry eyed

yeh im ok thanks, the police are involved now my sister talked me into it after i calmed down abit.
No cctv inside the jobcentre but a few outside on the street, also he would have signed in to get inside the building so maybe that will help

Its really good that you've gone to the police, it will stop more people getting harrassed by the same man once they catch him. Similar thing happened to me once but on the tube, there are so many weirdos in London!

Take it easy

Alex652 · #8 11th February 2013, 23:11

That really sounds terrible. Hope you're feeling better now :hug:

The JobCentre definatly deserve a good bollocking for the way they didn't allow someone in with you, and how they have handled your assault.

Kristin77 · #9 11th February 2013, 23:26

What an awful thing to happen to you

I hope you're feeling at least a little better now and the police manage to find the guy who assaulted you.

starry eyed · #10 11th February 2013, 23:30

well i doubt anything will come of it tbh, just got to try to not let it set me back to much

rocco · #11 11th February 2013, 23:34

Ugh that sounds like a horrible experience. Job centers are horrible places.

I had a bad experience in one a few years ago too when i went to enquire about ESA. I had to sit and spill my guts about all the simple stupid things I find almost impossibly difficult, and basically describe how Im mentally ill and all the wierd things I think and do to a stranger. This would have been bad enough but its not the worst part. The worst part was that one of my good friends at the times mum works there and was sitting on the next desk the whole time, and that I knew she was a horrible gossip, I hadnt told anyone of my friends that i was having dificulties at all.

Surprise surprise 2 days later my "friends" stop returning my calls and texts. Wish Id stayed at home

ßazza · #12 11th February 2013, 23:44

Im sorry that happened.

Im surprised there wasnt some security nearby. Mine honestly has one everywhere I seem to walk.

Even when I sit down they come over to check im meant to be there - Then another might do it again if he didnt know the other guy had already. (They nice enough.)

Pablo Huntsbach · #13 12th February 2013, 00:25

What a scumbag. It's hard to believe that the staff did absolutely nothing but I guess people are just generally terrible these days.

Olly. · #14 12th February 2013, 00:48

Shame we can't just lock scum like this up, its not right that such twats are allowed to freely roam the streets and I wouldn't be surprised if he's done it to others as well. This sort of thing would traumatise anyone, so I can't imagine what it could do to someone with anxiety problems, but you can't let it get to you OP, the fact you've already got in touch with the police though is great, many others in your position are often too scared to report these sorts of incidents, so well done for that, I hope the guy gets what he deserves and it doesn't affect you too much.

MeMyself&I · #15 12th February 2013, 01:09

Absolutely disgraceful. What sort of person would think they can get away with behaving like that?

rocco · #16 12th February 2013, 01:21

Sorry, i posted before without actually reading the first post properly. Now I have I just want to say its terrible you had to go through that at the jobcenter of all places. I say **** a complaint and get the police involved.

starry eyed · #17 12th February 2013, 01:35

nope no security at all just a guy on reception, no cctv inside the building but some on the street outside, its a pretty shitty area tbh. im glad i posted tho im getting to a stage of my SA that ive been going out abit so i dont really wana take any steps back its been to long to get this far. the police are really surprised the jobcenter didnt report it at all so will see what happens

rocco · #18 12th February 2013, 01:49

Keep on at it. The job center will try to fob you off but dont let the guy get away with being such a cretin.

far north · #19 12th February 2013, 15:48

A nasty incident.

Sounds like a case of sexual assualt to me , you were quite right to call the police about it.

Hope they catch the jackass.

pavlovsdog · #20 12th February 2013, 21:41

This sound absolutely horrendous, and I am surprised that the jobcentre aren't doing anything about this. Usually they have security officers, and they should have been involved once you spoke to the adviser (on second thoughts, its not that surprising!). After all, this scumbag is obviously a threat to women including their female staff. Well done for getting the police involved, you did the right thing. I hope they catch the b£&%@?d.

Hope you are ok.

Tony_M · #21 12th February 2013, 21:49

What a horrendous person and, obviously he doesn't know this, but he could have really set you back with your progress! All I can say is please try not to let it put you off going out again too much.

starry eyed · #22 12th February 2013, 22:13

Apparently he went back to the jobcenter today and they sent him away saying the police had been looking for him and he needs to sort it out before he can go back in.
He told the police that I was a lovely girl we had a great conversation and nothing else happened, they came and took my clothes that I had on this morning which is a little overkill if you ask me lol but they are keeping him in custody tonight and taking him to court in the morning so will see what happens.

pavlovsdog · #23 12th February 2013, 22:32

^ good! This sort of thing really makes my blood boil, some men just seem to think they have a right to do what they like to women. Grrrr!

I hope they throw the book at him. Good on ya for reporting it x

anxiouslondoner · #24 12th February 2013, 22:33

Ugh. What a disgusting character and what a horrible experience for you - I would understand you being very reluctant to go back there. Hope that the law can do something and stop him from doing anything like it again!

Olly. · #25 12th February 2013, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by starry eyed

Apparently he went back to the jobcenter today and they sent him away saying the police had been looking for him and he needs to sort it out before he can go back in.
He told the police that I was a lovely girl we had a great conversation and nothing else happened, they came and took my clothes that I had on this morning which is a little overkill if you ask me lol but they are keeping him in custody tonight and taking him to court in the morning so will see what happens.

Perhaps a little overkill, but you'd rather that than they not take it seriously and I'm glad to hear the police have acted on this and got him already (sounds like he probably hasn't a clue what he's done was wrong), have seen stories in the past about the police not taking these sorts of incidents seriously enough, so fingers crossed he doesn't get away with it and you can move on from this quickly.

Kestrelsgomoo · #26 12th February 2013, 23:09

I'm sorry this happened to you, the man's behaviour was disgusting. I hope you're okay now and I'm glad the police have gotten involved.

rocco · #27 13th February 2013, 02:06

Well done on getting him locked up, if only temporarily. Did the job center really not have any security cameras at all?

pavlovsdog · #28 13th February 2013, 07:52

^ I was surprised at that, having been based in jobcentres at one time, they are usually pretty security conscious. In the one I was at they even had seperate lifts for staff!

Ungol · #29 13th February 2013, 19:29

I remember the first time I had to go sign on at the Job Centre, I got interrogated by this drunk guy who was sitting next to me in the waiting area. Was asking me why someone my age was in there, and said stuff like "I bet you just sit in your room all day and don't do nuffin'" (which was kinda true but still) and kept putting his finger on my knee everytime he made a point. God he was a right creep, and it was so embaressing I just wanted to sit there and not be noticed yet he was talking so loud everyone sitting around could hear what he was saying. Made me feel so pathetic. And he had his skanky girlfriend in there with him, who was kinda like my saviour cause she pulled him away to go have a cigarette outside... then after that my name got called so I was up like a shot!

syncsolo · #30 13th February 2013, 19:49

That scumbag needs to get charged with sexual assault and not just a petty warning. What a thing to happen, when you were just sitting there minding your own business! Not to mention trying to drag you into the toliets [um attempted rape it sounds to me!]

I hope you're feeling better now anyway and nothing like that happens to you again.