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Victim of lads’ culture tells of sex assault ordeal in crowded nightclub
GROPED AND ABUSED CRAIG LEIPNER
Attacked: Francesca was depressed for a week after the incident PICTURE: CRAIG LEIPNER
A STUDENT has spoken of her ordeal at being sexually assaulted in one of Edinburgh’s most popular hangouts. Francesca Penny, who is studying English at Napier University, was attacked in the early hours while celebrating a friend’s birthday at the Hive. The fourth-year student was dancing in the nightclub’s alternative room at the time. ‘It was pretty crowded so it wasn’t unusual for people pushing past in the crowd to accidentally touch you,’ said Francesca, who has waived her right to anonymity. ‘While dancing with a group of friends, I noticed a white male push past me, but he was far too close for my liking. He had his hand on the small of my back and was pushed in right against me.’ Francesca asked the man to leave her alone but his reaction made the situation
worse. ‘I proceeded to push him off and told him not to touch me,’ Francesca said. ‘He then asked me if I was foreign and I replied with a tart “No” and reiterated that I wanted him to leave me alone. ‘This seemed to enrage him because the next thing I knew he had me in a tight bearhug so I couldn’t move, and he proceeded to tell me that I “Should be foreign because I was f***ing hot”.’ The man then told Francesca he hated her before physically attacking her. ‘He let go and I turned round to confront him,’ she said. ‘But he aggressively groped my right breast and proceeded to run out of the club when I lunged after him. I had to leave the Hive after that because I was so distressed.’ Francesca said felt ‘quite depressed for a week after the assault’ but reported the
turn to p5