Quit Neighborhood Watch Because Of Bullying

[Iditarod]

Hi,

I have a mild case of PTSD, am not on meds, but I don't work. Unfortunately I ended up in a neighborhood with an entire drug dealing ring. The noise and harassment from that has been awful. I had to take it as far as starting a neighborhood watch to get any help from the police.

Ok, that was in March, and since then the members of the neighborhood watch have bullied me. It happened 4 times, after which I quit. Basically the problem is lack of trust, and also somehow associating me in their minds with the HOA, whom they all hate. IMO, they have done this at some level of their minds because I'm the visible one, so they seem to feel it's ok to beat up on me. I feel it's also because they see me as a smartypants with no authority, and they treat me as such. So it seems I should have known not to give them any advice at all, even when I was asked for it.

I don't care about them any more, but now I have to tell the maintenance man / site manager that I quit, and this neighborhood watch really got his hopes up about improving the crime situation here. The crime prevention officer at the police told me she understood my frustration, and that the police would continue their investigation.

I'm really dreading having to tell him. Do you have any suggestions for how I could handle it?
I don't feel I could tell anyone I have PTSD, unfortunately.

Thanks for your help....

 

[Lost Child]

You do not need to tell him anything personal. I would suggest that you tell him the other people you've been dealing with are blatantly uncooperative and even hostile and you just won't participate anymore. Kind of like "I'm not going to put myself in a place where my help is not wanted." No one is obligated to spend their time with toxic people, and if these people are bullying another adult who is trying to help then they are toxic. I want to say that it is not on you to solve the crime problems in your neighborhood just because you don't work, In fact, it occurs to me that it could make you a target for some dangerous people. I'm sorry for you that you got stuck in this bad neighborhood and I hope you can find peace in your own home at least. Maybe you will get to move to a better neighborhood in the future. Good luck.

 

[Iditarod]

"I'm not going to put myself in a place where my help is not wanted."... In fact, it occurs to me that it could make you a target for some dangerous people.

Thanks very much, that is a great way to put it!

Yeah, I could be a target for some dangerous people, and I've been told to lay low now, and pretend I don't notice anything. I am currently reinforcing my rented condo with crime prevention devices.

The noise situation has improved - I finally, after 2 years, got a copy of the HOA rule book,
and found a rule against noisy cars. So the security guards are helping me with that. Every time
they have a loud party outside, or talk loud by bedroom window after 10, I call the guards.
I wish they would just get tired of it and leave.

And our neighbor's kids recently harassed my husband, calling him a "cop caller," and the security guard took care of that situation too. (These are children of somebody involved in the ring). So that is wonderful, but yes I'm thinking about getting out of here.