We are sure you are all saddened and disgusted in equal measure at what has happened to one of our Stansted based cabin crew colleagues in London. In the early hours of 30th May 2019, Melania was taking the N31 bus home with her girlfriend Chris after an evening out in West Hampstead, North West London. During the journey a gang of young men started to demand them to kiss while making homophobic comments and crude sexual gestures. What happened after is simply inconceivable.
“Last Wednesday, I had a date with Chris. We got on the Night Bus, heading for her place in Camden Town, climbed upstairs and took the front seats. We must have kissed or something because these guys came after us. I don’t remember if they were already there or if they got on after us. There were at least four of them. They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us ‘lesbians’ and describing sexual positions. I don’t remember the whole episode, but the word ‘scissors’ stuck in my mind. It was only them and us there. In an attempt to calm things down, I started making jokes. I thought this might make them go away. Chris even pretended she was sick, but they kept on harassing us, throwing us coins and becoming more enthusiastic about it. The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with them. On an impulse, I went over there only to find her face bleeding and three of them beating her up. The next thing I know is I’m being punched. I got dizzy at the sight of my blood and fell back. I don’t remember whether or not I lost consciousness. Suddenly the bus had stopped, the police were there and I was bleeding all over. Our stuff was stolen as well. I don’t know yet if my nose is broken, and I haven’t been able to go back to work, but what upsets me the most is that VIOLENCE HAS BECOME A COMMON THING, that sometimes it’s necessary to see a woman bleeding after having been punched to feel some kind of impact. I’m tired of being taken as a SEXUAL OBJECT, of finding out that these situations are usual, of gay friends who were beaten up JUST BECAUSE. We have to endure verbal harassment AND CHAUVINIST, MISOGYNISTIC AND HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE because when you stand up for yourself s*** like this happens. By the way, I am thankful to all the women and men in my life that understand that HAVING BALLS MEANS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I just hope that in June, Pride Month, stuff like this can be spoken out loudly so they STOP HAPPENING!”
After the uncalled and vicious attack the gang robbed them and fled from the scene. Police arrived shortly after that and Melania and Chris were taken to hospital where they received treatment for their facial injuries. It is yet to be determined if Melania’s nose was broken during the attack. The Metropolitan Police are now investigating this unacceptable and disgusting hate crime and are appealing for witnesses.
As an industry and a union that celebrates diversity we can and we have to show our support. We set up a Go Fund Me page where anyone can donate money to Melania and Chris so if they decide to take further legal action against these abhorrent people they have the financial resource to do so, and if they need counselling or just want to move somewhere else, they could do it without the added burden of money.
So if you can afford, please visit and share our Go Fund Me page and let’s help Melania and Chris together! No one deserves to live their lives in fear!