Yesterday’s news from police about an alleged cat injuring prank in Scullin generated near universal disgust (along with the inevitable argument about whether animal abuse is a gateway to more serious crimes against people).
But it also brought a post by one of the neighbours in the Scullin apartments about life with an antisocial group running wild.
It deserves wider attention, so here it is.
#36 Gennalove
12:00 am, 14 Dec 11I live in the appartment block where this happened with six other residents not including those associated with this boy. As much as I sympathise with those people out there who want justice done to him, the real problem is the group of teenagers who reside in this specific flat.
We have been dealing with this rubbish for over seven months now and unfortunately ACT Housing tells us all that their hands are tied, that they cannot simply evict these kids, despite the fact that this is not the first time they have caused harm to our property or intimidated and threatened any of us verbally or otherwise; though it is certainly the most heinous crime they have yet commited. ACT Housing are telling us to go to the police. The police tell us to go to Housing. When is enough, enough? Must one of us be physically assaulted in order for someone to pay attention? Obviously, this awful event was not enough.
All the residents of these flats, excluding these kids, are kind and gentle people. Yes, they may be a little eccentric but as far as public housing complexes go, I could not wish for better or more curteous and caring neighbours. That they should have to live in fear is unacceptable and cruel. ACT Housing are treating these kids like they are the victims and we, the perpetrators. We have done nothing more than exercise our right to a peaceful neighbourhood by involving police as regularly as possible. Though nothing is done. This is the real crime.
I know that the owner of that cat loved him and cared for him. He did not deserve this. And we do not deserve to live next to those people who are capable of such an unspeakable crime that only adds to the long, long list of what they have already done.
I am sick of feeling unsafe even in my own home. I am sick of waiting for police to arrive only to do nothing. I am sick of preventing my friends and family coming over of a weekend night for fear of their safety as they walk up the stairwell. I am sick of hiding in my flat. I am sick of turning the music up loud to drown out the sounds of their domestic violence.
We are sick of being unheard.
We are sick of being ignored.
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What’s Your opinion?
Living next to cat throwing teens
Oldest to Newst
VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :
Exactly. Yet whingers from all over are calling for a “different” response for “social housing”.
Violet68 said :
Refer it to the police, same as for public housing… It’s not hard.
breda said :
Perhaps you could have voiced your opinion when DHCS were asking for community input. Don’t be fooled. Not all social workers are warm and fuzzy………as for “decent” people living in public housing, who should we whinge to about drug dealers, criminals of all kinds and brawlers who do not live in public housing……or is that a separate issue?
Gosh, the ACT Government is threatening drug dealers, brawlers, and criminals of all kinds with – wait for it – SOCIAL WORKERS!
On one level, that is an ugly threat. But for the decent people living in public housing whose lives are made a misery by thugs, I can’t see them dancing in the streets.