Published on 12, July, 2020
At the end of my academic semester a month ago now, I was nearly sexually assaulted by another autistic person who I was asked to help by our welfare department. This autistic person is much more autistic than I am so whilst I struggle to read some social signals, for example, he struggles a lot more. Whilst I appreciate that isn’t his fault, what he did to me was unacceptable.
We were just friends in my view and I explained that to him, however he wanted more. He wanted for us to be in a relationship and I made it very clear to him that it wasn’t going to happen as I’m already in one with someone else. He wouldn’t accept it so pushed me onto the bed and started trying to take off my clothes and his clothes. Before things got any further I said to this person “Get off me now and do not touch me or do that ever again! It is completely inappropriate what you have just done.” He then said, if you find that inappropriate how I touch your breasts, so I replied to him saying “Do not touch me anywhere on my body. I made it loud and clear to you we are not in a relationship and you’re not respecting boundaries.”
It was then suggested I went to tell welfare about what happened but all they said was we have to let him off because he’s seriously autistic even though this is in our view close to sexual assault. My friends think that I should report or do something as what happened is not acceptable and that the response of the welfare team is not good enough. Does anyone have any views?
They were wrong to respond in that way to you, that's fobbing you off. What about your welfare and safeguarding?
You were put in that vulnerable state by them when they asked you to help him! Thank goodness you have good sense of boundaries and took control and stopped him.
A lesson learnt from this though, never ever go to someone else's accommodation or let them into your accommodation when there isn't anyone else there to chaperone or to call for help, better to be in a public place. It's really terrible that an innocent and trusting situation ended up as a really awful experience.
Refuse to have anything to do with him if you are both returning in September.
Refuse to help anyone else. You are not trained or paid to do that.
Don't let them pressure you, just refuse.