For anti-bullying week (12-18 November 2018), Beyond Words’ Books and Training Adviser Vivian has reviewed our story ‘Mugged’.
What is the story about?
It’s about a person called Chris who got mugged for his phone and is too scared to go outside. But by the end of the story, he’s conquered his fear and come out stronger.
Chris and his friend Ben are in a café. There are some other boys looking suspicious – they are planning an attack. They are muggers and they are choosing a target.
Chris and Ben come out of the café and go to the bus stop, but then the group of boys – Justin, Ed and Adam – stop them. Justin’s got a smirk on his face and Chris is showing them the card he bought. They’re enticing Chris and being fake friends.
Ben leaves on the bus to go home. One of the boys tells Chris to go down the alleyway. Then he grabs him in a chokehold and starts punching him. Another boy pickpockets him and takes his phone. It’s very bad.
Poor Chris is black and blue. He’s scared and he’s vulnerable. The police officers come to help him. They say, “It’s ok, son. Come with us,” and they take him in an ambulance to hospital.
The nurse at hospital comforts Chris. He calls Chris’ mum to tell her that Chris has had an accident. She comes to meet him and take him home.
Chris’ friend Ben feels guilty because he wasn’t there when Chris got beaten up. He thinks: “I’ll never forgive myself.” He visits Chris, but Chris is too scared to go outside. Chris says, “I’m too scared of outside. What if it happens to me again? There’s people out there.”
The policeman takes a statement from Chris about what happened. He calls Victim Support to tell them he knows a man who has been attacked. The woman from Victim Support comes to see Chris. She shows him this book about being mugged. Chris isn’t quite sure, but he tells her what happened and about the attack. Talking helps Chris feel better.
Ben comes to visit Chris again. Chris is still scared to go outside - he’s shaking - but with Ben’s help he does it! He walks away from two girls asking for money. Then this stranger offers them for a ride. It’s raining, but they say NO! It’s powerful.
Chris and Ben go to their self-defence club together and Chris tells everyone about stranger danger. All the guys are clapping for him. They’re proud of him and Chris is happy and proud of himself.
Why is this book important?
This happened to my friend. She was coming home from work and she got mugged like this. They caught the guy. I think sometimes people get bullied at home and they take it out on other people.
This book it can help people learn to be wary. You should never go with strangers – you never know their intentions. It’s a lesson in stranger danger.
Who would find this book helpful?
I think it is a good book for victims and teenagers especially, because teenagers carry phones and jewellery and watches. They need to be careful.