Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour is done keeping quiet.
After yet another frightening encounter in Central London, she’s urging the city to put women’s safety at the very top of the priority list.
The actress, once a Team GB artistic swimmer, says she’s been followed, chased, groped, and even physically attacked — all within the supposedly bustling, modern capital.
Her latest experience happened just last week, as she was heading to an audition near Oxford Circus.
A tall man dressed in dark clothing “locked eyes” with her, veered straight into her path, and slammed into her with full force.
No one stopped. No one intervened. And her attacker simply kept walking.
When Violence Becomes Routine
That sudden, painful blow might sound like an isolated moment — but to Genevieve, it’s part of a much bigger, exhausting pattern.
“Women in London are living in fear,” she said.
“This is a city where we’ve adapted our entire lives just to feel less unsafe.”
She lists the familiar rituals: changing routes, ditching headphones, sharing locations, jumping into Ubers after sunset.
None of it feels optional anymore. And she insists the burden — emotional, physical, financial — is placed squarely on women.
Trauma That Stacks on Trauma
Her hesitation to report the Oxford Circus attack is rooted in something far more traumatic — an attempted mugging back in February, inside a Kensington coffee shop.
During the incident, she fought off teenage thief Zacariah Boulares, who later received a 22-month sentence.
But the accomplice who threatened to stab her? He disappeared into the city and has never been identified.
Genevieve says the aftermath left her with crippling anxiety and a deep mistrust of the system meant to protect her.
“I got no support,” she said. “I don’t have the emotional capacity to go through that process again.”
Rebuilding Her Life — Again and Again
After the mugging, she temporarily moved back home to heal.
She had planned to return to London more permanently for work — especially as the entertainment world revolves around the capital — but last week’s attack has thrown that plan into chaos.
“My whole life is in storage,” she explains.
“I was ready to come back. I don’t think I will now.”
When Everyday Travel Stops Feeling Normal
She’s now questioning why women aren’t being provided safer travel options if the city can’t guarantee basic protection on the streets.
An online campaign calling for women-only train carriages — similar to those in Brazil, Japan, and Malaysia — has already gathered over 13,000 signatures.
But for Genevieve, creating safer spaces goes hand-in-hand with confronting the culture itself.
“We can’t ignore the role of toxic masculinity and the institutions that keep failing us,” she said.
The Day Everything Spiraled
Recalling the Oxford Circus attack, she still feels a jolt of shock.
She noticed the man watching her, tried to step aside, but had nowhere to move.
He rammed into her arm and body as though bracing for impact.
When she instinctively shouted at him, he didn’t even turn around.
Even the passers-by offered little more than polite distance.
“It felt like I’d imagined it,” she said. “I was shaking and couldn’t get my breath.”
The panic attack that followed was immediate.
She called a friend in private security just to steady herself before going into her audition.
A Ripple of Recognition From Other Women
Her emotional Instagram post afterwards — eyes red, scarf still around her neck, warning other women to stay alert — reached thousands.
And the messages she received were heartbreaking.
Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher admitted she too had been kicked by a stranger.
Actress Selma Blair shared memories of the harassment and assaults she revealed in her autobiography.
Genevieve says the overwhelming response convinced her this isn’t just about her.
“Women are exhausted. We’re frightened. We’re desperate for change.”
Reporting Doesn’t Feel Like Justice
She knows some people wonder why she didn’t file a police report this time — but she’s adamant the system simply hasn’t earned women’s trust.
The statistics echo her concerns: fewer than one in six rape victims report their assault, and only around 2.6% of reports result in charges or a court summons.
“Women aren’t reporting less because attacks are going down,” she said.
“They’re reporting less because the process can be retraumatising — and because too often, they’re not believed.”
Strength Behind the Fear
Despite all of this, Genevieve is no stranger to standing her ground.
A trained Amateur Boxing Association fighter with three brothers and years of combat choreography under her belt, she reacted instinctively during the attempted mugging — but she cautions the public not to do the same.
“It worked for me because of my training,” she said.
“But that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone.”
A Voice That Isn’t Going Quiet
What ultimately keeps her speaking out is a simple belief: women deserve more than fear. More than constant self-monitoring.
More than being told to endure what feels unendurable.
And if the city won’t protect them, she insists, women have every right to demand change — loudly, publicly, and relentlessly.
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