This isn’t an easy post for me to write, as I prefer to focus on the positives in life, but if you’re moving to the UK then you should know what to do if a crime is committed against you. Please keep in mind that I am no “crime expert” and am just sharing my two pence based on living in London myself for three years and helping other Canadians & Americans move there for the past 5-almost 6 years.
If your purse is stolen:
Okay, first off let’s deal with the whole purse issue. When I lived in London, I was ridiculously paranoid about my purse wherever I went. I knew where it was at all times, and kept it close at hand never giving someone a chance to “nick it” (aka “steal it”). I was the only one I knew who hadn’t had their purse stolen and I intended to keep it that way.
My friends lost their purses to thieves by:
- leaving it on the floor by their feet at the library while emailing on the computers,
- leaving it between their legs on the floor while at the pub,
- their wallets were taken from inside an open purse at the fireworks, while strapped over their arms.
So, what’s the moral of this story? Know where your purse is at all times and keep it close to your physical body, ideally zippered shut. This might sound a bit intense to the newbie moving to the UK, but let’s face it – you won’t be in Kansas anymore.
Now, if you do have your purse stolen, what should you do?
Call the police of course. Not 9-1-1 though – it’s 9-9-9 in the UK, and don’t dial that one for a purse being stolen as it’s really for emergencies (as in, life or death…). Just call your local station and make a report. You probably won’t get your purse back, but you might as well report it.
If you’re out clubbing…
There are a couple of street-smart rules to clubbing anywhere, but particularly in big cities like London.
- Watch your drink at all times. No matter what. Never, ever, ever leave your drink unwatched, whether you are a man or a woman, in a pub or a club. That means: don’t get up to dance, to use the loo, to get another drink…just don’t ever leave your drink without your eyes on it. This might sound paranoid, and you might think that only naive club-bar-stars in their late teens get drugged, but again – you’re not in Kansas anymore! Anyone can get drugged in London. And it does happen. So just be smart!
- Don’t get in a “taxi” that isn’t actually a taxi. Taxicabs in the UK are cleared marked as either Black Cabs or private cab companies that you call and know. So, if a car pulls up and isn’t marked, and you didn’t call them (on the phone!), and they just shout out the window “taxi!” then say “No thanks!” No matter what, say no. If it’s 5 am and you didn’t call a cab, and you can’t find one anywhere, and there’s just this one guy in a car saying “taxi” don’t get in. Walk with your friends. Wait til the tube opens. Just don’t get into an unmarked taxi cab. You will see posters all over London about this. So be smart!
- Make sure the people you are with know you really well. They know you well enough to know how you behave when you’re drunk, and know you enough to spot anything out of the ordinary. So, if you would never sleep with a guy or girl after a few drinks, and suddenly you’re falling over with slurred speech and going home with a stranger – your friends will spot that as unusual and get you home safe & sound. If someone drugs your drink, it’s not always obvious to your friends or to you. But your behaviour will be different and that’s where good friends come in. They should know you well enough to know what you would or wouldn’t do. If you are someone who sleeps with a stranger on a first meeting, well…you already know the risks you’re taking, so I won’t say much about this. Just be careful. Be safe. Be smart. You don’t need me to be your mother or father…
- Keep your head! People drink more in the UK than we do in North America, as a general rule. So, you’ll likely fall right into that when you first move there. They also start drinking much earlier than we do, often right after work on an empty stomach. Know your limits, and eat something! Anything is better than nothing in your stomach.
So, what to do if your drink is spiked? Or a crime is committed against you while you’re out clubbing? Whether it be rape, abuse, violence…Call the police.
What to do if you are sexually assaulted in the UK:
If you are assaulted in the UK, you will likely do things a bit differently than you would in Canada or the USA. First, of course, you will call the police or get a friend to do it for you. Don’t shower. Don’t throw out any “evidence” which you won’t necessarily think is evidence (ie the blanket you were on – just like in shows like CSI the police look for DNA in everything you’ve touched). This is the same as in Canada or the USA. If you wait a couple of days, and have already showered, still call the police & make the report. They will come to you and ask questions, look for and take evidence, etc. Just like in North America.
But the difference is that in North America, I would normally suggest that you find your local “Rape Crisis Support Centre” or “Sexual Assault Support Centre” or whatever your local support centre is in your area. But in London, they don’t exist. Shocking right?
I couldn’t figure out why they don’t exist there, but then discovered that the police & the support centres are closely connected. So, if you do go to the police you will then be connected to the support centre, where they also check you for signs of assault, STDs & pregnancy, evidence…all the obvious post-rape stuff. They also put you in touch with a counselor and you can visit the counselor a number of times. The big difference here is that if your case goes to trial, then what you say in your counselling can be used in court. Very different than a Sexual Assault Support Centre in Canada or America – where that would never be okay.
They try to make the support centres as comfortable as possible, with magazines, comfy chairs, empathetic staff…but it is what it is. A place for people who have experienced assault.
*Please note: I just checked out the Havens website again and it looks as though they have made some changes. Judging from the website, if you don’t want to make a police report you can still use their services. This is similar to what we do in Canada and the USA so perhaps I was wrong about the differences. Anyone else know more about this?
There are a million and one different crimes that can be committed against you anywhere in the world, and in London you just need to be a bit more street-smart. Just like in NYC or any other big city. Don’t be scared – it’s still a fantastic place to live, but if you are aware & keep your head on then you can avoid many of the not-so-great elements.
I’ve only covered a couple of crimes that could happen to you in the UK and only because I think it’s best that I focus on things that have happened to me or my friends. Please keep doing your research & ask around as this is nowhere near the be-all and end-all for crimes in the UK.
Questions? Concerns? Comments? Please share your thoughts!
Victoria Westcott
kikimoo
