Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Faversham, Kent: Tracy Ashworth
When Tracy Ashworth turned to the police for protection against the violent drug dealers ravaging her neighbourhood, it made not a jot of difference. So she joined Mums’ Army.
And how did the police respond?
An officer told her: ‘That is most inadvisable. Do not do it. It’s too dangerous.’
The officer also said: ‘Do not go out after dark and stay away from your windows.’
Mother of two, Tracy, 34, says: ‘I was astonished when the police told me not to join Mums’ Army. I am rejecting their advice. It’s time someone stood up and did something. We cannot just live in abject fear.
‘In the past year the problems in this area have spiralled out of control. Almost every day my family are threatened and abused by troublemakers who are known by the police but allowed to get away with it.
‘My eight-year-old daughter has been verbally abused and spat at in our own garden, and my 14-year-old daughter was attacked in the local park. I was spat on at our front door and assaulted inside my house. We are not safe anywhere.
‘The police tell me to document antisocial behaviour — I have pages and pages of it. But instead of them taking action, they tell us not to go out after dark. It seems that even the authorities are scared to come here — it’s nicknamed Beirut.
‘It feels that I'll only get some reaction from the police if these thugs smash my house up or put me in hospital.
‘I joined Mums’ Army because I refuse to live like this any more. I can’t get any support from the authorities so we have no choice but to stand together and force them to take action.’
Tracy Ashworth,
Faversham, Kent
Tel: 07852 364915
And how did the police respond?
An officer told her: ‘That is most inadvisable. Do not do it. It’s too dangerous.’
The officer also said: ‘Do not go out after dark and stay away from your windows.’
Mother of two, Tracy, 34, says: ‘I was astonished when the police told me not to join Mums’ Army. I am rejecting their advice. It’s time someone stood up and did something. We cannot just live in abject fear.
‘In the past year the problems in this area have spiralled out of control. Almost every day my family are threatened and abused by troublemakers who are known by the police but allowed to get away with it.
‘My eight-year-old daughter has been verbally abused and spat at in our own garden, and my 14-year-old daughter was attacked in the local park. I was spat on at our front door and assaulted inside my house. We are not safe anywhere.
‘The police tell me to document antisocial behaviour — I have pages and pages of it. But instead of them taking action, they tell us not to go out after dark. It seems that even the authorities are scared to come here — it’s nicknamed Beirut.
‘It feels that I'll only get some reaction from the police if these thugs smash my house up or put me in hospital.
‘I joined Mums’ Army because I refuse to live like this any more. I can’t get any support from the authorities so we have no choice but to stand together and force them to take action.’
Tracy Ashworth,
Faversham, Kent
Tel: 07852 364915
# posted by Mums' Army @ 9:44 AM 
