# My husband was attacked last night... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857 "2007-11-10T01:07:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/41 "2007-11-10T15:01:11Z")
How awful and scary and paranoid inducing. The group that attacked him are not humans. They are the lowest forms of life on this planet. Those bastard scum have taken away your freedom and peace of mind. I hope you both can move past this event, but right now, be outraged. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/42 "2007-11-10T15:35:15Z")
In the late 80s in Orlando, we had a rummage sale going. 3 college-age guys get out of the car, & I **know** something is wrong. I dash inside & hollor for my brother Andy & his 4 friends to _“Come quick! Trouble! Bring weapons!”_ I go back outside to guard the sale, & these bozos come circling in o9n me. One of them had picked up a hammer from the table, another had a bat. Body language spoke clearly–they were gonna stomp me. My brother & his friends, armed with a sheath knife, a trench knife, a bat & a home-made mace showed up just in time. The swine take a look at 6 to 3 odds, weigh the weapons advantage, & leave. My brother & all his friend came with me as we went to their car, & told them not to come back. They said–“We won’t”. Jackals. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/43 "2007-11-10T18:14:11Z")
(The “nd” in nd\_n8 stands for Indy, Nap-town, the Circle City et. al.) When I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s this did not seem like too bad of a town. Toward the end of the 80’s I started seeing more and more trouble (probably because being old enough to notice, I did). I still work here but I have not lived here since the house I was renting off of West Washington St. was shot up in a random drive by (about 1998). I wish you and your **IndyHubby** all the best and I hope he gets feeling better soon. - Nate ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/44 "2007-11-10T18:52:56Z")
[QUOTE=The King of Soup] Accept my sympathies, **Indygrrl** : it’s tough enough to deal with _one_ concussion at a time, let alone two or more. Two or three minutes is a very long time to be repeatedly hit and kicked for absolutely no reason by several people you don’t know, without any of them thinking to either rob you or suggest that you may not be the victim they’re looking for. [/quote] Yes, he said he really thought they were going to kill him. And he said it felt like it went on for 5-6 min. > [@](#): > > Your dog must be very well-trained: it’s rare for even the smallest to remain passive, neither inflicting nor receiving injury, when their owner is in such distress for so long. I don’t know if she’s well-trained so much as she’s a scaredy-cat. We didn’t hire her for her defense skills, although my husband was a little pissed at her for not doing anything at all. There’s a blur in the action when it comes to the dog, because my husband said he didn’t let go of the leash, but the dog didn’t get hurt that we know of. I would say it’s very possible that she got kicked, at least. But she seems ok. > [@](#): > > Even rarer was the good luck for there to be several witnesses handy, working on a neighbor’s garage well after dark, and the bad luck that none of them had a cell phone or were within a 2-3 minute run of the scene. Well, I think it was two guys working in a garage across the street. The man who lives in the house they were working on gave us their number, but they haven’t called us back yet. We think maybe they did call 911, because the cop had mentioned something about getting another call about these same guys. He didn’t specify. It would be great if they saw enough to give details, but I’m thinking if they did they’d have already reported them. > [@](#): > > The good news is that a long-term serious headache condition is rarely exacerbated by such an event: the fact that he was walking the neighborhood less than 24 hours later, looking for his keys, is evidence of that. I really hope you are right about that. I have been worried to death about him because his pain has been out-of-control since this happened. > [@](#): > > When the police arrived (and you should complain: they really should have notified both you and EMS, so he wouldn’t have to call you and you wouldn’t have to drive to the hospital ((and you should complain again, because hospitals should definitely admit patients who come in with not one but two concussions)), and most LE officers are trained to do so). They did call the ambulance, but we declined because there were no severe injuries and ambulance rides are very expensive and often not covered by insurance. As for the hospital not admitting him, they must have thought he was ok, plus he really wanted to come home. > [@](#): > > Your energy in creating and distributing 100 flyers, so soon after these distressing events, can only be admired. I hope the people you normally tell things like this to return very soon. It was the only thing I could think to do, and I had to DO something. You know? Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I’m sure he will be ok, but I think it will be a long road until he feels “normal” again mentally. My best friend was attacked several years ago and she’s talked about how long it took for her to feel safe again, and that she really will never feel as safe as before she was attacked. Her attacker was never caught either, which I think makes it worse. Anyway, I just hope my husband’s pain lets up soon. He is in misery right now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/45 "2007-11-10T19:20:22Z")
I feel so badly for you and of course your poor hubby. I think something like this is a little worse for men than women. Most learn from an early age to be hyper-aware of our situations and the possible “dangers”. Men don’t seem to get the same conditioning and I think it throws them a little harder. Just my thoughts. I am going to third (or fourth) the suggestion to get some couselling, PTSD sucks and the longer it goes untreated the harder it can be to treat - not that your husband will for sure develop anything. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/46 "2007-11-10T19:26:07Z")
Ivylad’s been jumped twice. The first one was in San Diego, he had an armful of groceries, and some guys tried to muscle their way in while he was going into the (keycard) apartment door. They smashed a beer bottle across his face and he’s got a scar under his eye. The second time was in South Carolina. He was returning home and got jumped in our driveway as he was getting out of the car. They beat him up pretty badly and he was in the hospital for a few days. In neither instance were the scumbags caught. For him, the hardest thing was the blow to his masculinity. He was always a very physical person before his job injury, into weight lifting and not afraid of a fight. It took him a long time to get his “testosterone” back, if you know what I mean. He felt he should have been able to defend himself, to at least fight back. In both cases, for whatever reason, he wasn’t able to. So, as long as you are helping your husband recover physically, help him recover mentally as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/47 "2007-11-10T19:31:42Z")
Damn. My sympathy for your husband and you–I hope he recovers quickly. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/48 "2007-11-10T20:47:05Z")
My condolences to both **Indygirl** and \*\*Ivylass’s \*\* husbands. Please, get some professional help, don’t give the bastard’s a chance to torment you and your husband’s head for months and years to come. And for some virtual visceral wishful thinking, I hope the cops catch the soulless scum and they get sent away for a 5-to-10 year pound-you-in-the-ass-every-day-bitch state pen. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/49 "2007-11-10T22:11:12Z")
Aw, **Indygrrl** , I’m so sorry. WTF is wrong with people, anyway? My best healing wishes to your husband. My concussion was over 40 years ago and I still remember that pain. I hope they catch the bastards. \*Best wishes and scritches to the poor doggie, too. She might not’ve been much help, but I bet she was terrified. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/50 "2007-11-10T22:23:49Z")
[QUOTE=user\_hostile] My condolences to both **Indygirl** and \*\*Ivylass’s \*\* husbands. Please, get some professional help, don’t give the bastard’s a chance to torment you and your husband’s head for months and years to come. And for some virtual visceral wishful thinking, I hope the cops catch the soulless scum and they get sent away for a 5-to-10 year pound-you-in-the-ass-every-day-bitch state pen. :mad: [/QUOTE] Oops, I meant **Indygrrl** :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/51 "2007-11-10T22:39:24Z")
[QUOTE=casdave] I would not be surprised to see this appear on youtube from a mobile phone camera. We in the UK have had this thing called ‘happy slapping’ where some schoolkids have been doing this, some have been very serious assaults. I believe young ‘men’ have also been doing this. This has led directly to the crimials being apprehended and sent to prison in some cases. There is a tendency of these types of thugs to repeat their actions until they are brought to account > **[Happy slapping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_slapping)** > > Happy slapping is a fad that originated in the United Kingdom around 2005, in which one or more people attacked a victim for the purpose of recording the assault (commonly with a camera phone or a smartphone). Though the term usually refers to relatively minor acts of violence such as hitting or slapping the victim, more serious crimes such as the murder of a retired care worker and sexual assault were also occasionally classified as "happy slapping" by the BBC. The general availability and affor... [/QUOTE] The difference between the two countries being that concealed-carry permits are not all that difficult to come by, and people here tend to be more violent and vigilante-like. As a nation, we seem to have become much more aggressive and retaliatory over the last 10 years or so. A trend of random beatings is very likely to end up with one or more persons dead, and not necessarily the guilty parties. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/52 "2007-11-10T23:26:18Z")
I’m pretty sure that wannabe gangster thugs wouldn’t characterize beating someone’s ass as “happy slapping.” It doesn’t sound nearly tough enough. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/53 "2007-11-11T03:36:13Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] I’m pretty sure that wannabe gangster thugs wouldn’t characterize beating someone’s ass as “happy slapping.” It doesn’t sound nearly tough enough. [/QUOTE] I saw an episode of CSI recently where there were groups of teenagers roaming around Vegas beating up random tourists. They called if “fanny smacking” (because tourists wear fanny-packs). ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/54 "2007-11-11T06:48:57Z")
[QUOTE=Waenara] I saw an episode of CSI recently where there were groups of teenagers roaming around Vegas beating up random tourists. They called if “fanny smacking” (because tourists wear fanny-packs). [/QUOTE] Loller, that’s f’n silly. Obviously I don’t find it funny, but you have to laugh a little to get through this kind of thing. My husband hung out on the couch for a few hours this evening and it was good to have him talking and eating and such. He got tired pretty fast though, and headed back to bed. I really hope he will recover soon, but I know it will take time. He’s worried about missing work, and I told him not to worry about finances and such because I can take care of everything. I missed worked yesterday and toinght because I needed to stay home with him. I hate to do that, but taking care of my husband is more important. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/55 "2007-11-11T13:53:38Z")
[QUOTE=Yag Rannavach] So they know to make sure and have one guy take out the dog, I suppose… [/QUOTE] Wrong. My dogs are as calm as can be. They are incredibly friendly, and deal with my son (8) and my daughter (18 mos) with impeccable gentility and patience, and even our lil kitty. They are Labs and one Golden (I have five dogs total). That being said, if anyone is attacking me, or playing as if they were, they will be mauled. Literally. If I come up to the house with a new jacket with a hood, they will growl, then bark, then bite. If I flip off the hood, they will stop, as they recognize me. They will not do this to a visitor, as they will look to me first to make sure I am okay with the individual. I did not train them to do this, they do this of their own accord. You would be surprised to know what your gentile dog would do if given provocation. Call your dog, say the dogs name, and say help. I know at least four out of my five dogs will make them regret their actions. I am so sorry about your husband. Next time someone asks something like that, he should gauge his response depending on the individuals asking. That, and having a backup weapon is always handy. I always have a knife. I used to have a CWP/CCP, but having small curious kids in the house made me change that decision. I always have my Leatherman, even when wearing shorts, and also a Spyderco / Gerber clip knife on me. I never assume someone will attack me, but – Be Prepared. This does not necessarily refer to an assault. I use my knives for countless things – most recently to cut my seatbelt while hanging upside down after flipping my truck on an icy road. My son will carry a knife when he is allowed. When I was a kid, you could bring knives to school (I am 33). When my father was a kid (he is 72) you could bring your gun to school, buy bullets from the principal, and shoot in the target range behind the school. He was a member of his school’s rifle club, and had a letterman’s jackt for it. Boy, how times change. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/56 "2007-11-11T14:15:17Z")
Oh, and BTW, I have been in these situations (minus dog) before. Easiest way to avoid contact is to ignore them. Either they will reconsider, or they will follow you, and if they choose to follow, you can pick the area and set the situation as much as possible to your benefit. Like walking towards the house where the individuals were working. Worst case, you have other people to assist if things go wrong. Of course, it depends on where you live / walk, so YMMV. But tell hubby not to beat himself up about it (no pun intended). As much as it sucks, he’s okay (minus the headaches) and will be more the wiser in the future. There’s no sense tearing yourself apart over something you no longer have control over. Again, tell hubby I’m sorry this happened. I don’t care where you live, the fact is, it can happen to anyone, anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/57 "2007-11-11T14:20:03Z")
Oh, and if the situation is reversed, and the other individual has a dog that they let loose on you, the easiest ans fastest way to incapacitate the dog is to punch it – hard – on the front of it’s nose. While this will hurt the dog (temporarily), it will temporarily incapacitate it, and allow you a window of escape if the assailant counted on the dog doing the dirty work. I only had to do this once when I was an animal control officer. Mostly I just dealt with whiny neighbors about dogs pooping on their lawn, or rabid raccoons. And the occasional loose horse (those were always fun). ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/58 "2007-11-11T14:25:23Z")
**Indygrrl** glad to hear the Mr. is doing better. I’m so sorry that happened. It sounds a bit to me like a gang initiation, and your husband was the unfortunate target. Often, the so-called “random” stuff like this has a reason, even if it’s unknown to you, there probably IS a reason, even if it’s not a good one. I do hope they catch the shitbags, though, and do unspeakable things to them with plungers. I agree wholeheartedly with **SSGT Schwartz** Get into the event before the event gets into his head…and yours. And, I know Indiana is a CCW state, but in case you or Mr. aren’t gun people, might I suggest… [This.](http://www.taser.com/products/consumers/Pages/C2.aspx) Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Resistance\_is\_Character-Formin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90db22/32.png) [@Resistance\_is\_Character-Formin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Resistance_is_Character-Formin)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/59 "2007-11-12T18:10:38Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] He was out walking the dog around 7 or so and had been gone about 15 min. when he called me and said he had been jumped by five or six men. They pulled into a driveway as if they lived in the house or something, and as my husband was walking by one of them said, “Does your dog bite?” He said no and then the main guy punched him in the head, blindsiding him. He’s not sure how long it went on, but it was at least 2 or 3 min. of them kicking and hitting him. He has cuts and bruises on his face and two big bruises on his head that the doctor thinks are definitely concussions. But his CAT scan came back ok and he has no internal bleeding or anything like that. These cowards did this for no reason at all. They didn’t say a word to him or to each other while they were doing it. They didn’t take his wallet or anything else. Seemingly, there was no motive in the crime. When the police arrived, rather quickly, one of them said he had already received a call about a group of men fitting the description. Evidently they did something similar in a nearby neighborhood. And a weird coincidence was that as we were driving to the hospital, there were a bunch of police lights and ambulances in the street. It was a car accident, and the car that got hit matched the description of the one the attackers were driving. I’d love to be able to get info on that accident, just to see if it’s the same guys. Of course, that’s assuming they find the guys who did this. It was really terrifying for my husband. He thought for sure they were going to kill him and said he had never been hit like that in his life, and he’s played lots of sports and shit. It is mystifying to me how people can randomly do this to a person. It was also terrifying to me to get a phone call like that from my husband. And running down there to see him standing there bleeding was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had. I’m just grateful that it wasn’t worse, although it was pretty bad. He’s ok now, but I had to wake him last night every hour or so to make sure he was coherent and not showing too bad of symptoms from the concussion. When he went to the area to look for his keys and the man who lives in the house right there was out and said the guys working on his garage last night saw the whole thing. I guess by the time they realized what was going on and grabbed a crowbar the guys had fled the scene. I made 100 fliers today and put them in 100 mailboxes in the neighborhood to warn everyone and to try to get people to be a little more aware of their surroundings. And to look out for one another. My husband already has a serious headache condition and it makes me sick that these fuckers hit him and kicked him in the head. He’s laying in bed right now, groggy from the concussion, and he’s in terrible pain all over his body. The feeling of helplessness is awful. I want to DO something about what happened, but I can’t. And my best friend is out of town, so are my parents. I feel very weird and wish I had someone to talk to right about now. But there aren’t too many people I feel comfortable talking to about stuff like this. [/QUOTE] One wonders if the attackers were fans of Inspector Clouseau. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857/60 "2007-11-12T19:21:34Z")
I hope these bastards are caught and become some bigger thug’s playthings in jail. Best wishes to your husband (and you). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-husband-was-attacked-last-night/425857.md?page=4)