'Yikes! Those poor people ... but what can I possibly do?’
The recent frightening incident in a Kimberley caravan park in which two young women were viciously attacked by a group of teenagers has raised some uncomfortable questions … such as should grey nomads intervene in such situations.
The women, who were on a gap year between school and university, told the media that despite being surrounded by caravans and it only being shortly after 9pm, no one came to their assistance during the assault.
“We began screaming for help, and then I think we both hit a point where we were screaming and we realised no one was coming,” one of the 18-yearold women said. “That’s when the real fear set in.”
The women eventually escaped their attackers and ran to the nearest caravan at the park in Fitzroy Crossing.
“When we got there an older couple opened the door and the husband stepped out, and the lady said, ‘Come back inside, it’s too dangerous out there’,” one of the women said. “They were too scared themselves, and yet happy to leave two teenage girls out there.”
The two terrified women were left bloodied, bruised and shaken and their car was stolen … but things could obviously have been a lot worse.
So, should grey nomads have done something?
Probably not, according to the West Australian police.
“We ask the public to always consider personal safety above all else,” a police spokesperson told the GNT. “We recommend getting as detailed a description as possible and a direction of travel and relay this information to police as soon as possible … importantly, if people feel their personal safety is at imminent risk, they should always phone 000.”
And the spokesperson warned that while so-called citizen’s arrests are lawful in some circumstances, if all of those required circumstances are not met, the member of the public could find themselves liable to prosecution of a serious offence.
“The law states that the member of the public can detain someone but must arrange for police to attend and deal, or where practical can take the person to the police,” said the spokesperson. “We accept that people sometimes make decisions on the spur of the moment and sometimes the decision to pursue or apprehend a suspect may be the right decision, dependent on the circumstances and their own physical capabilities.”
And the ability to make a difference is a key point.
“Although I would probably be silly enough go out to help, it would be an extremely stupid thing to do under those circumstances,” said grey nomad Tony L. “What are a few unorganised old wrinklies in their pyjamas going to achieve except to get their own head bashed in!”
so if someone is slowly getting everyone just has to stay out of it and watch from behind closed doors what a load of bull what.s the world coming to it.s disgraceful to be told to do nothing half the time the police do nothing
You are so right
Surely someone could have at least phoned the police!!
All you can really do safely is to call the police unless there are many of you. However in the crossing police response would be quite slow.
I have been in similar situation witnessed a 2 on one beating I was able to turn my car towards them locked safely inside with headlights on blew my horn and took pictures they ran away and the guy being beaten limped off in the other direction. I could never do nothing especially not with young girls involved .I find also just holding up a phone a taking a photo will usually stop or at least slow things down
Yes they should of helped
My natural instinct would be to help in some way like turning all lights on. Maybe using car headlights & horn if possible. My weapon is right at the door …..Fire extinguisher……no one want to be extinguished do they. Our van has sensor lights around it!
I would call the police, certainly be very wary going out as these scum are usually in groups and will turn on you. They don’t care. Years back you could probably talk them around but not anymore.
The couple could have sheltered them in their van and then called the police in my opinion.
So as a solo female old age pensioner; if I get into a similar situation I should expect no help??!!! Good to know in advance.
Don’t get me wrong I do understand the hesitation and although none of us know what we would do until faced with a situation like this, I would like to think I would at least let the girls inside my van.
In hindsight if everyone had come out on mass maybe the the perps could have been scared off ‘safety in numbers’ an all that; no citizens arrest just scare them off, like Jan said lots of noise.
It’s worth thinking about in advance, like a bush fire plan,
Atrocious that no one helped and so shameful that the GNT pushed an agenda/article that justified the inaction.
Just stepping out of your vans would have probably ended it and maybe just one of you there could have stepped up if needed, very shameful
Don’t make any excuses for your cowardness, so please no more excuses
Are you kidding, what…no one to help someone in distress! What is the world coming to. Well i am not going to standby idly – human natural instinct is to help someone who is being harmed.
I carry something with me all the time, since an incident in the Kimberli’s in the mid 80’s. I will not be without it, and I will use it in self defense regardless of the outcome, or who I have to defend. And had it been me on that night, I would have gone to their defense. I am not scared to get my hands dirty, in that type of situation. This is the reason, these people keep on harming and attacking others, is because the people they are attacking, mostly, are too scared to harm kids. Once the kids take up arms off any sort against anybody, they to me are adult enough to wear the consequences. In my book, they deserve, a good flogging.
There’s two good things at Fitzroy Crossing. The road heading east and the road heading west. It’s a fuel stop only.
If you know that the area is a hot spot, do not go there…especially camping…at Fitzroy Crossing…alone…What are you doing?…and you know the general store us all fortresses up…What does that tell you? I visited in May 2022