20-Year-Old Woman Injured In Assault Linked to ‘Bumping Men’ Trend

Last Updated:May 08, 2025, 19:18 IST

A woman based in London revealed via a TikTok video she had been targeted by a Japanese incel who bumped into her intentionally.

A 20-year-old woman was left with cuts and bruises after being body slammed to the ground by a “huge” man in London. Ayla Mellek claims the assault was part of a disturbing trend known in Japan as “butsukari otoko”, or “bumping men.”

Mellek was with a friend on Sunday, May 4, when a tall man ran at her full speed and deliberately knocked her down. Despite her attempt to move aside, the man charged straight into her. The impact, she said, “knocked the air out of [her] lungs” and left her with bruises, cuts, and whiplash.

“After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him,” Mellek told Metro.

Mellek later posted about the attack in a TikTok video, identifying the incident as part of the misogynistic Japanese trend where men deliberately bump into women to assert power. The behaviour has reportedly gained traction among online incel communities.

“Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6 ft 4 tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me. It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way my body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead,” she said.

Initially assuming the impact was accidental, she didn’t report it. But moments later, a couple approached her and revealed the same man had shoved an older man into the canal.

“They saw I was crying and heard what had happened and came and told me he had actually pushed someone into the water. That’s when I knew it wasn’t an accident,” she said.

In Japan, a man identified as Daisuke Nagata was previously arrested for similar attacks. During interrogation, Nagata confessed to targeting women, admitting he had done so “dozens of times.” “When I got off a train once, my arm happened to hit a woman’s chest and it felt good,” he said. “So I thought about how to do the same without being accused. I’ve done this dozens of times,” as per Metro.

Ayla Mellek’s attacker has not yet been caught, police said. A day after the attack, she reported the incident to the police.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Police are investigating an assault that took place on Sunday, 4 May at 12:30 hrs. It is alleged a man pushed a 20-year-old woman as she walked along the canal in Mile End, Bethnal Green. She attended a police station the following day to report the incident. No arrests have been made. An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing.”

Location :

Delhi, India, India

First Published:

May 08, 2025, 19:14 IST