A trip to the gym became a trip to the hospital after a teen was insulted and attacked by a stranger on Tuesday night (Feb 23).
“He said I was a virus,” the victim recounted in an interview with Lianhe Wanbao.
The man, who looked to be in his 50s, had been walking ahead of him, with his wife and baby for company. The victim was going to the gym at Bedok Community Centre.
After the group reached a stoplight, the man suddenly turned towards the victim and yelled “virus” at him.
Teen Attacked Verbally And Physically
Image courtesy: Pixabay (Image is for representational purposes only)
When confronted, the man said he was simply talking to his wife. According to the 19-year-old victim, they got into a fight after and claimed the man continued to insult him, calling him “virus” throughout.
The man allegedly punched the victim on the right arm and clawed at him, causing his arm to bleed. The elder also threw the victim’s phone into the drain after the latter attempted to film him with it.
The altercation broke apart after a pair of passers-by came to the victim’s aid and called the police.
“However, the man went over to tell the girl that I was a virus and that they shouldn’t believe what I say,” the teen told the Chinese evening daily. “It made me so mad.”
Image courtesy: AsiaOne
But seeing that a police report had been lodged, the man quickly left with his wife and the baby. The teen headed to the hospital to dress his wounds. However, his phone suffered from water damage and could not start.
The incident left the teen feeling dumbfounded and wronged. He had never encountered the man since he moved to Singapore at the age of 12 and had no idea why he was attacked.
He lamented: “The other party was really terrible.”
The police confirmed with AsiaOne that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.
Image courtesy: AsiaOne
How To Keep Your Kids Safe?
While this incident happened with an older kid, a teen, it still poses the question of: how do we better train our kids so they are able to defend themselves.
1. Prepare a plan to help them deal with the unexpected. Teach them about being on the alert, especially when they are out alone and also who to contact should they feel themselves to be in danger.
2. Always stay connected. You don’t want to come across as a helicopter parent, but you also shouldn’t want to be totally laid back. Try to strike the right balance by staying connected when your kid is out. Set a time, so they expect a call from you. And vice versa.
3. Teach them that dangerous strangers can sometimes look harmless. Always stress the importance of knowing when strangers cannot be trusted. In fact, teach them that they should be wary of ALL strangers. No matter the of your kid, make sure they know that even harmless-looking adults can be dangerous.
4. Know when to run away or yell for help. If they find themselves in a sticky situation, teach them that it’s okay for them to draw attention to themselves. Tell them to trust their instincts. If it’s time to run, they should do so quickly. If a stranger tries to grab them, they should scream and put up a fight.
Arming kids with this kind of knowledge will keep them safe and also put your mind at ease.
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
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