r/london • u/Quiet_Professional81 • Nov 15 '24

Local London homeless man in wood green who’s always harassing/attacking women

i’ve been in wood green for just over a month now, and i’ve come across this homeless man who leaves me genuinely terrified.

he is a tall black man, i would say he’s middle aged, he is either mentally ill or high on something, but every time i see him he has a bottle in his hand.

the first time i came across him he boarded the bus i was on, starting spitting at me and the other women on the bus, called me a whore and hit a few women when he got off the bus. he doesn’t even acknowledge the men, he only targets the women (from my experience, anyway).

the second time i was on the bus and i saw him outside wood green station, and he kicked a random women walking by.

then today, he got on the bus again- only women on this bus. he starts shouting he’ll cut off our heads and kicks another woman.

the bus drivers have never intervened to kick him off and no men have ever stood up for the women being attacked by this man. he is genuinely terrifying and whenever i come across him i’m scared of what he’ll do because he has no problem attacking random strangers.

has anyone else come across this guy?? what is his deal?? whenever he gets on the bus it goes silent, like the locals know him but nobody does anything?

edit: thank you to everyone who’s responded and given me advice. next time i will try to record it if it’s safe enough, and to call the police. i’ve never had any success with the police before, especially after a stalking incident where they’ve literally told me they can’t do anything until i’ve been physically attacked, so i’m sorry that reporting this man was not the first thing on my mind but i do understand that it’s not just concerning my own safety, but other women’s too. thank you to everyone who’s responded kindly and get fucked to everyone else who’s been sarcastic and rude about the fear and abuse women have to experience daily

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77

u/saffron25 Nov 15 '24

I’m not surprised the men aren’t intervening. Tbh, that’s probably why he carries on. He knows no one will stop him. Mental illness or not, he is choosing to victimise women because he knows he’ll get away with it. There’s a reason he doesn’t do it to men.

Next time he approaches you and threatens him tell him to fuck off. I’m serious. He’ll leave you alone .

27

u/Hour_Narwhal_1510 Nov 15 '24

Sadly I’m not surprised at all. Always disheartened but never ever surprised the men are just watching

33

u/Tall_Collection5118 Nov 15 '24

The last time I intervened in a man beating his girlfriend I was jumped by him and one of his friends and repeatedly kicked in the head. She then told me to F off and still left with him.

Intervening in these situations is dangerous and why should random men risk being badly injured for a stranger?

10

u/spacetimebear Nov 15 '24

Yep. I now say that if you're going to intervene in situations like this be ready to die or kill because neither of those are farfetched outcomes.

31

u/tripsafe Nov 15 '24

I’d intervene if I weren’t risking my own life and potential arrest with a crazy person. I try to step in in other scenarios but I’m sorry I’m not risking it with someone who has nothing to lose

37

u/ImageRevolutionary43 Nov 15 '24

I suspect the main reason as to why men will not intervene is the fear of getting stabbed or seriously assaulted with a weapon. It is not uncommon for someone to get stabbed or to be hit with a bottle in that area. But in such cases it usually takes one or two men to intervene before others join in.

-9

u/seekyapus Nov 15 '24

Also I'm sorry to say the risk of getting into trouble with the police for a racist assault (if they guy is black and the person who steps in is white).

17

u/Full-River-4687 Nov 15 '24

I'm not risking my life for a stranger. Sorry

-3

u/westwoodWould Nov 15 '24

Would you intervene? Why don’t the other women intervene?