I take your point. This is where I feel I might have made a mistake. Maybe if it happened to me now I would. I'm 32. I can fight my own corner.
At the time I was 18. I'd been held in a room in a squat for 4 (4? Around 4) hours. Threatened with death. I won't bother recounting the other details. I remember getting out, and running up the road. I remember wondering what to do. I was wearing trousers and a scoop neck top. I remember thinking that I couldn't cope with going to the police - with being questioned as if I was a liar - facing months of having this drama perpetuated, and if it got to court being questioned as if it was my fault. As if I had asked this man to do that to me.
And yes. The absolute right thing to do in that circumstance would be to stand up to the system. If a biased or corrupt system isn't challenged by the people who suffer at its hands then there is no chance. However, the relative right thing to do was for me to let this go. To not be a victim. To get on with my life and start university without the label.
If I was back there again (and if I couldn't avoid it again) I think I would do the same thing. If it happened to me know I don't know what I'd do. I'd like to think I'd have the courage to face the system - but realistically I might not.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-05-25 06:34 am (UTC)At the time I was 18. I'd been held in a room in a squat for 4 (4? Around 4) hours. Threatened with death. I won't bother recounting the other details. I remember getting out, and running up the road. I remember wondering what to do. I was wearing trousers and a scoop neck top. I remember thinking that I couldn't cope with going to the police - with being questioned as if I was a liar - facing months of having this drama perpetuated, and if it got to court being questioned as if it was my fault. As if I had asked this man to do that to me.
And yes. The absolute right thing to do in that circumstance would be to stand up to the system. If a biased or corrupt system isn't challenged by the people who suffer at its hands then there is no chance. However, the relative right thing to do was for me to let this go. To not be a victim. To get on with my life and start university without the label.
If I was back there again (and if I couldn't avoid it again) I think I would do the same thing. If it happened to me know I don't know what I'd do. I'd like to think I'd have the courage to face the system - but realistically I might not.