Prejudices Still Exist - Some Institutional: Age, Sex, Race, Colour & Class Issues Remain: If you are a young man, who has been assaulted by another man, or, worse still, if you are complaining that you have been assaulted by a woman (perhaps a spouse) the response is likely to be very poor, especially if the incident of 'assault' is over. If there are other social class & cultural features that may colour attitudes, the problem is worsened. There are prejudices, I am afraid. Men, young men in particular, men and women, with common accents and attitudes, men reporting assaults by women, where there is a counter claim, men and women who have been on the wrong side of the law, even where this did not involve assaults, all get inferior treatment by the average police officer. The worst officers can even be quite offensive and treat some people, who they judge in this way, as if they were the perpetrators, rather than the victim of assault. It is in the character of any official position, or profession, that you will get good and bad and that you may catch someone on a bad day. Complain to them first. If the attitude persists, complain higher, but always record the complaints with someone else in authority. I have personally experienced a 5 day delay after having my tooth knocked out, mouth and face cut by fists and nose blooded and swollen. The assailant was driving up and down the road outside the family Home, drunk, having made further threats to injure and burn the house and car. Behaviour he had exhibited before. I have even heard of cases where the victim (who had suffered a number of associated assaults) has said 'I have got the bastard here and I have a knife at his throat'. The police were pretty annoyed but their response was very quick. If you get to the hospital before the police arrive on the scene, take all your current clothing with you and ask the hospital staff to store it carefully and take note of your condition and take photographs of the injuries prior to treatment, if this is viable. A sever beating, where you are conscious and able to report the call and where the assailant has gone from the scene, will often mean a delay. If you have been raped and/or are female, police responses are usually quicker and treated as an emergency, even where the assailant has gone and you are safe. This is because police responses and attitudes, regarding rape, had been poor and this resulted in criticism and government interventions. Do not rely on this, however. It is important that you emphasis the continuing immediate danger to yourself and to others. If you feel you would like to deal with an officer of the same sex, this is usually possible but may not be immediately available because of pressures. Your wishes will usually be respected but be aware, if you are rude and abusive to the police, for any, including justifiable reasons, they will almost certainly withhold or delay their support.  This page is in the stage of preparation.
There are some links on the right that may be helpful: | NOTE:This Document is still at some stage of development. You are invited to respond and comment on its content and its logic. If you return to the document at a future date, you will be able to see its continued development, hopefully reflecting your own and others commentary. I thank you, in advance, for any contribution that you make. Please also feel free to visit and contribute, in any valid way, to these and other social issues, through our Forums. There is also a Chat Room and protected Chat Space for more serious group discussions and individual counselling. Please feel free o use this space for your legitimate activities. Copyright: Although you will see very few reference to other formal writings in this document, I acknowledge general recognition to the discussions and debates that I have had with students, practitioners and clients over the years. Most of the ideas and theory has evolved through this rather pragmatic process (operational research), rather than any formal reading. If any content of this document describes concepts, theory, or ideas that have been established else where, (prior to my writing, either here or else where - in part or in full), I acknowledge their entitlement to claim them as their intellectual property for financial purposes, if they can evidence this. I also reserve the right to retain them as my intellectual property, with due recognition to those who have made direct contributions, including other writers, should I identify such a past influences. Other than this, I invite you to share and copy any content, to the benefit of intellectual debate and the benefit of individuals and groups, without restriction, other than it be used for constructive purpose, in the wider context of my writing. Should you wish to use any material presented here 'as is', I ask that you then make reference to myself and the web site. The 'Reading Date' would be a useful 'publishing date' for the Current Edition. 1980 is the core publishing date for most of the basic ideas and theory (unless stated otherwise). This 'Reading Date' may be an important part of this 'reference', as the document (by its 'internet fluid' nature) will be constantly changing and this may affect meaning and interpretation, for those following up on such a reference at a later date. Thank you for your cooperation. TRC. eMail: terry.couchman@visitweb.org |
