child

They crossed the road and blocked my path

Sexual Assault

Name: Anon
Age: 14
Location: Near Asda, Cherry Tree Rd

“I was cycling to Asda, wearing a vest top as it warm, I cycled towards two men and realised they were looking at my chest, they crossed the road and blocked my path forcing me to cycle through as one of them grabbed my breast, I carried on and went to Asda.”

Maker: Stephanie Cottle

When I glanced in his car he had his trousers and underpants completely off

Sexual Harassment

Name: Roxanne
Age: 13
Location: Leach Lane, St Anne’s

“I was walking to school, in uniform, and a man in a yellow Saxo kept driving past me, he stopped at the bus stop I was headed to and when I glanced in his car he had his trousers and underpants completely off and was masturbating. I was scared and walked to the next stop.”

Maker: Katya Lawder

I tried to walk by him but he was stepping in my way

Followed

Name: Anon
Age: Under 16
Location: Newton Drive

“Walking home from school I was followed by a man most of the way home… he eventually caught up to me and put his hand on my arm to stop me. He asked me if I wanted to go for a drink with him and when i said that my parents were waiting for me he became irritable and pushy, I tried to walk by him but he was stepping in my way so I couldn’t avoid him. I was extremely lucky that I was on a main road and my mum happened to be driving to get my sister from school and spotted me, pulled over and shouted me.”

Maker: Olivia Thackray

As a young teenager I was followed by a man in a van

Followed

Name: Kate
Age: 13
Location: Highfield Road

“On two separate occasions as a young teenager I was followed by a man in a van. They attempted to chat to me while driving along side me from the Highfield Rd area towards my home at the time off Arnold Ave. They were asking for directions at first and asking me to get in and direct them, following me trying to have a conversation with me generally harassing me and making me feel very scared.”

Maker: Kelly Gorrie

He was staring at us and started masturbating

Sexual Harassment

Name: Anon
Age: 14
Location: On a bus

“I got on the number 14 bus on the way home from school with two of my friends. We went upstairs on our own where a much older man was sat on his own.

He was staring at us and started masturbating, at the time we thought it was quite funny because we were young and didn’t know any better but as I’ve gotten older I realise how disgusting that man was.

Sadly, that’s only one of many stories I have as a young woman growing up in Blackpool.”

Maker: Joe Booth

I refused and he persisted

Followed

Name: Roxanne
Age: 12
Location: Church Road, St Annes

“A man in a black Corsa who lived near me had followed me on my walk to school, which had been for about a mile. He eventually rolled his window down and asked me to get in the car. I refused and he persisted, I eventually ran through a park so he couldn’t follow in the car.”

Maker: Louise Ashcroft