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The original was posted on /r/bestofredditorupdates by /u/LucyAriaRose on 2024-11-05 05:05:33+00:00.

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I am NOT the Original Poster. That is Flossy40. She posted in r/traumatizeThemBack

Thanks to u/outofrhyme, u/BakingGiraffeBakes and u/equationhole for the recommendation

Do NOT comment on Original Posts. Latest update is 7 days old. This is still ongoing.

Trigger Warnings: sexual assault; sexual harassment;

Mood Spoiler: frustrating because of the legal system

Original Post: October 25, 2024

Title: Don’t do it

This afternoon, I was shopping at a store that I don’t usually go to. I was looking through the vitamin area, trying to make sense of their organization.

Suddenly, someone reached around and grabbed my left boob. Hard.

I spun around and slammed the heel of my right hand into the nearest nose. The young man (approximately 14) stumbled backward and fell against the shelves behind him.

A burst of laughter erupted from a group of 3 teens a little way down the aisle. One of the biggest was holding a phone, pointing it in my direction.

I moved faster than he expected, and grabbed the phone, then hustled toward the front of the store.

As he tried to grab it back, squawking, an employee intercepted us. Loss prevention had been watching the cameras and saw everything.

While the phone’s owner was talking to them, I checked contacts, and called Mom. I explained what happened to her, then waited until the police got there, and turned the phone over to them.

Mom was not happy. Then again, neither was I.

The phone owner and the bleeding 14 year old were arrested. The others took off.

As they steered the kids toward the police car, the cops asked if they had anything to say to me. No.

"I have something to say, " I said. “Don’t mess with a marine.”

Tomorrow is my 67th birthday, and I have no idea why they decided to mess with me. Also, I have never been a marine, but maybe next time, the idiots will think twice.

And now, I have an appointment at the police station tomorrow.

Some of OOP’s Comments:

Commenter: Did you press charges if possible?

OOP: I will. The loss prevention guy gave the footage to the police. Then I passed the big kid’s phone to them, too.

Commenter: I wonder if the content they recorded indicates INTENT.

OOP: I didn’t play the recording. I didn’t want anybody to accuse me of messing with it. All I did was call the big kid’s mom.

Commenter: It is not stolen valor. She said; “Don’t mess with a marine,” not “I was a marine!”

Accujack: It’s just good advice, like “don’t get involved in a land war in Asia” or “Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.”

OOP comments an hour later:

Ugh, Lefty has bruises. Guess I’ll have to have pictures taken tomorrow.

Commenter: Was mom unhappy with you, her son’s actions or a little bit of both do you think?

OOP: The son.

Commenter: I am so sorry.

Here I was thinking at some point we age out of being sexual objects. I guess not.

OOP: I guess the overweight old lady gave off victim vibes.

Commenter: I second what other people have said, get a lawyer, continue to document your bruising every day, and keep a journal of how you feel if this has affected your sense of safety. 

You did the right thing and would have been justified in doing much more. I am going to remember this story and try to have the presence of mind that you had if this ever happens to me. 

OOP: Hitting with the heel of your hand helps protect you from broken fingers.

Commenter: (downvoted) You guys are blindly believing a story from a user who frequently posts in creative writing subs?

OOP: I do. I write well, and I enjoy it. Sometimes, things happen to people who can express themselves on paper. Yesterday, that was me. It happened.

[editor’s note- can confirm, OOP has been active in many different subs for a couple of years and all past posts line up with her information in this post]

Update 4 hours later:

UPDATE: You convinced me. I’ll call the police station tomorrow to let them know that I am getting a lawyer. I’m going to ask if they want to take pictures, or are my own OK.

I’ve taken pics already. It’s clearly a hand print. I’m ghost pale, the purple shows clearly. It should be vivid by Monday.

Update Post: October 29, 2024 (4 days later)

The grab and squeeze was Friday. Hubby agreed with a lot of you, so we decided to call a lawyer before talking to the police. Friday evening we went to the ER to get photos of my bruising. I called the police station and told them to cancel Saturday’s appointment, I was getting a lawyer.

Monday, I met with an impressive lawyer. Why she’s in my tiny, nowhere town is a mystery to me. More pictures. The bruising was now red and purple, gloriously vivid. One pic, she had me try to cover it with my hand, my fingers aren’t long enough.

Today, Tuesday, we met at the police station. We had an appointment. “Oh, here’s a form to fill out. Write out a statement. Somebody will be with you.”

I wrote, lawyer read, turned paper in. Waited. And waited.

Half an hour after our appointment time, the lawyer goes up to the window. She got stern about disrespect, and an officer came out and got us quickly after that.

He really didn’t seem to care. His job, the attack, my injury, the kid, life, the universe, or anything…

My lawyer prodded him to get pictures, a police woman took them, then we were told that we were free to go.

So, I don’t think I am going to get arrested for the kid’s nose. Somehow, I don’t think I will ever hear anything else about the whole thing.

Update 3 hours later:

UPDATE My lawyer called. She got a copy of the store footage and has an appointment with the DA. She asked permission to show him my bruising pics. Yes.

Some Top Comments on Post:

Irishsickboy: That’s some bullshite! Just to be clear, you ARE pressing charges, correct? If so, why hasn’t anything been done on that front? I wasn’t too worried (as a spectator, of course) that you would be charged with anything, but I’d be damn sure to want to know what’s going to happen to the perp and his co-horts. Battery is battery and if there are no consequences how is that/those kid(s) and, by extension, their parents gonna ensure these jacknuts don’t so it to someone else? I’m baffled by it all. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I think you’re my new spirit animal tho.

Destrova1001: The attacker needs to be charged with assault , and most likely sexual assault. Punching him in the nose in no way nullifies his offense or evens the score. Your lawyer should be demanding charges be filed. The evidence is not disputed! You have been very brave, and this young hoodlum needs to experience the consequences of his actions.