In case you had gone too long without remembering that women are unreasonably punished for not being amenable and interested in men at all times, here's an unfortunate reminder: London 19-year-old Pagan-Lilley Motlagh-Phillips was run over by a moped after she didn't respond to two guys' catcalling. This happened a few months ago, but after the police failed to adequately handle the problem, she's speaking out.
The incident took place in Cherry Tree Walk, Rainham, Havering on June 6th at 7:30 p.m. when Motlagh-Phillips was walking home from Lakeside shopping centre with her brother. She told Buzzfeed that two men on a moped drove up and one called out “Are you alright, darling?” When she didn't respond, they came closer. Her brother tried to intervene, and that's when they threatened to run her over.
“They were very close and coming very fast towards me and my brother,” she explained. “I pushed my brother out of the way, and as I pushed him the bike drove straight into me." They knocked her to the ground, reversed back over her, and drove away.
I was run over then reversed back over by two white males who I didn't know. All because I wouldn't talk to them.
— ???????? (@PaganLilley) September 17, 2016
She was taken to the hospital and released at 1 a.m. on crutches, suffering from internal bruising. However, after Motlagh-Phillips gave evidence to the police (specifically, a screenshot of a comment on Facebook) that showed who did the crime, she claims it took them six weeks to arrest him. Once they did, he was let go after two hours, with an official email stating that the case would be closed "pending further evidence coming to light."
Motlagh-Phillips believes this case never found a conclusion because crimes against women aren't taking seriously, but in a statement to Buzzfeed News, a source insists that “there has been a full investigation into the incident, which included a public appeal for witnesses and information via media release and the Met’s social media and online channels.”
However, they urge anyone who's not satisfied, or who might have information, to reach out.