I'm 25 and I'm still bullied by kids

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I need advice.

When I was younger, I did have a few bullying experiences, but nothing too bad really - I was lucky enough to have 2 or 3 decent friends to make my life at school bearable. But the bullying that did happen has shaped how I perceive the "kids" who like to stand around on street corners for seemingly no reason at all.

I am petrified of them. That's no exaggeration. Walking home in the evening is a deeply traumatic experience sometimes. Although most of the time it's just kids 'noticing me' - yet inexplicably failing to notice the other stranger, sometimes it's insults - sometimes it's inane queries such as 'how old are you', 'what do you do', and a lot of the time it's just insults such as 'twat' or 'dickhead'. It has never really been violent, except once.

A couple of years ago, something happened which has really reduced my confidence. I was walking home from work, when about 6 kids who were probably playing football in the street, aged from about 8 to 14, suddenly started insulting me. All that was going through my head at that time was "why!?" I'm an adult ... why me!?" I just continued walking, ignoring them.

They were taking delight in the fact they could insult and hit me (though not very hard) without me doing anything in retaliation. One even spat on my back (really nastilly). I did nothing to these people - I just wanted to walk home in peace. They don't know me, they don't appear to do this to any other strangers - why me?

I never understood why they did it. Other kids aren't as bad but the barbaric mentality is still there. Perhaps I reacted in the wrong way ? Perhaps they're expecting a joke or something interesting from me ? Perhaps instead of ignoring them I should try to act interested in them - which is impossible because I can't do this with people I like. I don't know.

When I walk home and I pass kids, I very often attract some kind of attention. I can't think of any major reason - (apart from my AS, which they cannot know about) - why this happens. I have small shoulders - that's about it - that's all I can think of.

What am I doing wrong? Should I take off my glasses? Should I work up some muscles? Should I hit back? What the hell can I do? I'm a nervous wreck - when I see a bunch of kids - of any age - I am in petrified.

I've tried taking alternative routes home from work but there are kids everywhere. I can't afford to drive, and I can't afford to move.

I guess it must have something to do with my AS - as well as my fear - am I giving off bad signs? Should I make eye contact with them, frown at them, insult them back, confront them?

I have a terrible fear that when I reach my 30s this will continue. I'm very depressed by this.