h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ever wished you'd spelt Paranoid right?

Oh for an Edit Post button!

Sorry TC - I completely missed your posts! We seem to be in agreement.

(And I know you hoped this was SS coming bac to explain himself!)

I can understand SS being concerned about trivialising this subject, but I do think it's a question of context.

If SS thought this as being trivialised he/she might try reading poss before replying to what the thinks they said.

I and a friend were flashed when we were about 15...we thought it funny..at that age mens bits are funny....come to think of it men's bits are funny at any age if you are a woman

I'll try that in English:

If SS thought this was being trivialised he/she might try reading posts before replying to what they think was said.

I can understand SS 's concern...people who do this do have a problem but may not necessarily lead on to violent sexual behaviour.

I can understanf SS's concern too, but he/she accuseed me of defending flashers. Anybody with any intelligence reading this thread can see that neither I nor TC were doing that. Seems like the Daily Mail kneejerk panic reaction turns up everywhere.

I've seen loads of them. The first when I was about 12 at school and to be honest it was the reaction of the teachers and calling of the police that freaked me out far more than the original incident. In all subsequent incidents I have given the perpretator a hearty laugh and sneer. They always slunk away looking embarassed. Maybe I've just been lucky? But if it happens again I'll do the same.

it's what makes life interestiing Roymondo..people mis-reading posts leads to some of the most strange conversations on hootoo

I wish i pre-viewed before I posted sigh...

Talking of the Daily Mail, there was an article by a young woman who was sexually attacked when she was 10 years old.

She told her parents and, rightly or wrongly, they chose not to call the police

She says she's not mentally or physically scarred, isn't ruined and life after the attack went on as normal

Many years ago I was in Lewis' in Manchester with my mum (can't actually remember how old I was but Blakes 7 premiered that night and I'm now 40) a bloke (how shall put this?) rubbed my bum with his fingers while we were looking through a slae table. I remember thinking it was a bit odd at the time, but nothing more.

A bit later on (may even be years) I was sitting on the top deck of a bus going to school. I was late, having been to the dentist earlier. Again, a bloke got on the bus and sat next to me (stranely, at the time I didn't even think that was odd - even though the top deck only contained me and him ) his elbow was moving back and forth towards my crotch I got off the bus a stop early and walked the rest of the way.

I haven't told many people about these two differnt incidents and don't think they have affected me adversely (or even at all)

Whether either guy went on to perform more graphic assaults I cannot say as I didn't tell anyone until several years after they occured

Just my

I think it is more telling about this topic that no one answered or tried to answer what the "flasher" gets out of it.

I've been flashed three times, all after I moved to California.
First time, when my roommate and I hitched a ride on Sunset Blvd, after missing the bus (we got out of the car at the next red light ASAP,giggling).
Once on the bus -- a guy sitting next to me *on the aisle in the seat just behind the rear exit door, mind you!* -- and when I exited at my stop, I knocked him into the aisle and laughed.
The last time, when I was walking home late one night, and the guy popped out of the bushes with his Mr. Happy hanging -- in his case I believe he may just have been -- I laughed and he dived back into the bushes, zipping madly.

The thing is, I believe people who do this feel a sense of empowerment -- something in their lives that they believe can give them power: Women are supposed to cringe in horror. Sorry -- just not that horrible or cringeworthy. And as for going on to more extreme acts, it just gives the flashee a better target for the convenient well-placed kick or knee, if necessary. It's the ones who grab from behind you've got to watch out for. I've had one of those, too.

I do somewhat agree with Roymondo about the furor being more traumatizing than the deed. IF we are talking about a child, one who is fondled or grabbed, I'd join the mob-with-torches brigade, but in the case of an adult, I'm just not *that* appalled at flashing.

But I may be maladjusted, since I can't help laughing.

SC

Interesting that this is** so far exclusively about men flashing women but I have an experience of the other. My brother and I were on a train going to Kings Cross in London one New Year when a strange looking women with a large Alsatian dog got on. She sat down in the seat next to me - to my eternal gratitude with her back to me, facing the aisle.
As the journey progressed she could be gradually heard to harrass a poor lad she was facing. Lines such as 'I could scream and have you done for rape' were heard until eventually and quite loudly she started on, 'I can prove I'm a woman' at which stage she started exposing various parts of her anatomy to him. Niiice
My brother was sat directly opposite her and she went to start on him at one point but I think he frightened her with the daggers coming from his eyes - not ME you don't

Very weird and quite frightening for a while it was. I expect the lad under harrassment will remember that journey for a *long* time.












**unless I've missed a post - apologies if so.

I was walking my English Bull Terrier in some woods near my home when I was about 12. He was off the lead and a little way ahead of me. A middle aged man with scruffy clothes and a bushy beard appeared from nowhere next to me and began asking about the dog. I got a bit worried as my dog was a pure breed and considered expensive and nickable.

I called my dog to me but he'd gone into some undergrowth after rabbits or something so I had to go and get him to put him back on the lead - the guy said he'd help look for him. I just let him.

Next thing I know, he's standing in front of me with his william in his hand! Very pink and naked is all I remember. I called my dog and began running - which made him run too as he thought it was a game. Once he'd caught up with me (the dog that is) I put him on the lead, and ran all the way home. Poor hound was exhausted! I never told anybody at the time and it has not affected me in any way.

I was maybe 18, biking between two villages, from my home to boyfriends home.

A car passed, stopped a bit ahead. The drivers door opened. As I passed, the man inside was playing with his bits...

I pedalled on, and took the first opportunity to turn in among the houses in the next village.

I was a bit upset, not sure what to make of it, and I was alone on a country road, even if it was broad daylight. Not that it really damaged me for life...

If it happened to my daughter, who just turned 12, I'd be really angry, though! But keeping in mind the advice here, I'd now try to be cool with her, while still alerting police.

Goodness, I've just remembered this - I was somewhere between 8 and 10, not sure exactly. Playtime at primary school, and one boy in my school year got his little friend out and started pointing it at a group of about 7 or 8 of us girls, saying "this thing's loaded!" Naturally we all giggled, someone ran for teacher, and about 9 female members of staff ambled over, by which point he'd put it away. Hardly scarred for life, but it's quite amusing to reminisce.

The other time wasn't really flashing, but happened a few months ago - sitting in french conversation, the boy opposite me was - well I thought he was sitting on a drumstick (I'm innocent, leave me alone), before I realised that he was playing with himself. I was a bit disgusted, because we were in the library, in a lesson, but not really traumatised.

Most disappointed that the OP wasn't:

Ever been 'flashed'?

Would you like to be?

As if it's some sort of new opt-in process for random exposures. "I'm a card carrying member of the 'it's ok to flash me' club" (which I am, but that's besides the point).

Liam.

My grandmother was flashed many years ago when my mother was small, she was on her way back from her night shift at the hospital when a man jumped out of the bushed complete with open rain mac and started doing a little dance.

Although not known for being quick witted my grandmother quipped 'You should put that away, its a bit chilly out tonight'.

It was only later when she got home she said she started to feel shaky, upset and violated. No long term damage though thank goodness.

I don't think I've been flashed at myself, apart from a few drunk men in a pub, but then he was bragging about how well he was hung so we asked him to prove it...... It turns out he was exaggerating...