Our Stories & Voices: Rose of Battle Cosplay

Content Warning(s): Physical assault, bystanders not helping

Submitted for Sexual Assault Awareness Month - Our Voices & Stories.

"Back in 2012 when I was living in London for half a year, I was coming home from an anime convention. I was with my friend, and we were taking our usual route home from our tube station. We noticed a group of young men across the street where we needed to cross, and got a bad feeling.

As we crossed over, we ignored them while they started shouting, trying to get our attention. One boy jogged over and started walking immediately next to my friend, asking her where we were going for the night. Neither of us said anything, and he got irritated and then came over to me and put his arm around me.

Terrified, I elbowed him in the chest and screamed at him to get off of me. We got into a bit of scuffle; he tried to grab me, and I kicked him in the shins. He backed off, laughing at us as I screamed out of rage and fear.

My friend and I made it home, but we never walked that way home again. I never saw them again, but it's so frustrating that I needed to take a longer route home to feel safe.

The boy's friends didn't threaten us, but they didn't do anything to stop their friend; they just laughed. They just let it happen, which is

It's not quite at a con, and there's nothing con staff could do for us since we were not on the grounds anymore, but it was really frustrating feeling unsafe coming home from what was supposed to be a fun experience."

-Rose of Battle Cosplay