Cops To Brooklyn Women: Wear Skirts And Rapist Will Target You

Photograph by SVLuma on Flickr

As women in Park Slope, Sunset Park and Bay Ridge remain on edge with two, possible more, sexual assault suspects on the loose, community members are trying to reassure women by starting volunteer efforts to escort women from the subway. On the other hand, the police are telling some women to stop asking for it by wearing skirts and shorts.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a 25-year-old woman named Lauren "was wearing shorts and a T-shirt when she claims a police officer asked if she would stop and talk to him. He also stopped two other women wearing dresses."

The officer asked if they knew what was going on in the neighborhood. When they answered in the affirmative, he asked if they knew what the guy was looking for.

"He pointed at my outfit and said, 'Don't you think your shorts are a little short?'" she recalled. "He pointed at their dresses and said they were showing a lot of skin."

He said that such clothing could make the suspect think he had "easy access," said Lauren.

She said the officer explained that "you're exactly the kind of girl this guy is targeting."

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne (you may remember him from such statements as saying the cops did not user pepper spray against Occupy Wall Street protesters) said, "Officers are not telling women what not to wear—there's a TV series that does that. They are simply pointing out that as part of the pattern involving one or more men that the assailant(s) have targeted women wearing skirts." The attacks started in March, with more attacks reported since then; as Jezebel points out, "Sskirts are an extremely popular form of warm-weather clothing for women, it really doesn't tell us anything that would-be rapists have supposedly been targeting skirt-wearers. The police might as well say the attackers have been targeting women."

There have been accusations that the police have not been pro-active in trying to find the suspect(s), but the cops say they have stepped up patrols. In the meantime, Safe Slope launched its Safe Walks last night: On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, they are offering escorts between 8 p.m. and 3 p.m.—here's more info on how to get an escort.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 30, 2011 6:04 PM

Comments [rss]

Plus Size Lingerie

India's cotton-processing sector gradually declined during British expansion in India and the establishment of colonial rule during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

ignatiusnyc

we live in a patriarchal society, where women, and minorities have no rights.
in this power hungry, testosterone driven, cartoon, women are objects, workers are possessions.
  some very dear women to me, wear skirts and sundress's. i myself would probably wear one if it wasn't for the deafening, ridicule i would face, despite what you wear, crimes threatening someones security, are intolerable…the punishments are not enough for sexual crimes.
some of these predators, have a severe inferiority complex im afraid,
  protection and respect for the women of this culture is one of the most volatile issues that beg for correction today. why wasn't a female police officer addressing the lecture., unfortunate for them as well female officers, as well as all women in the workforce are subject to sexual harassment.
  on closing….shouldn't the "lecturing" officer be busy pepper spraying , penned in bystanders, raping passed out women in their apartments, or at gun point in a alley?………

rnrnys

Studies show and my own experience tells me that it's much harder to get your pants off then running my hand up your skirt.

It's even harder if you're wiggeling.

coolmikeperry

This just in...Muggers are targeting people who carry cash. Leave your wallet at home.

kathryn jones

proofreading. look into it.

Investigate-NWO-globalists

By this idiotic reasoning, it's best to wear a head-to-toe burka!

mlleBeth

You know this is getting very frustrating. All the officer did was warn the lady that there was a rapist on the loose, in the immediate area where they were, and he has CONSISTENTLY targeted women in skirts, and the woman should take that into consideration until he is caught.

Never did he try to enforce a dress code, tell he she deserved to be raped or any of the other ridiculous thing you all are saying.

We live in NYC, be aware of your surroundings and goings on. It's NYC 101.

Barbara Starkweather

"'Don't you think your shorts are a little short?'". "He
pointed at their dresses and said they were showing a lot of skin." "He said that such clothing could make the suspect think he had "easy access"

I suspect that there are better, more effective, and less stupid ways to warn women about rapists then this.

robingee

He told her that her shorts were too short. He told her that wearing something means she will be targeted.

mlleBeth

Could be targeted, not would be targeted. It's better to be aware than oblivious. In the end, it's our own responsibility to watch out for dangerous situations. Somebody is not always going to be around, and there are a lot of bad people out there.

robingee

Sorry for being rude, but that is total bullshit. Women should not be told to NOT wear dresses because some asshole is feeling up women in dresses. Bullshit.

mlleBeth

Sure in utopia everybody should be stopped and arrested before they commit a crime, but in reality that is completely impossible. There's no argument around that.

So basically I would personally like to be alerted that there was a robber targeting people walking down the street with their iPhones out, or in this example a rapist targeting women in skirts. I might necessarily change my typical behavior (I.e. Keeping my phone out or wearing a skirt) but I sure as hell going to pay more attention around me if I do those things. It's just self preservation.

@liane that was for your benefit as well.

Please ladies keep your heads, they are not trying to demean us or control us, they are just alerting us. I live in the area and I for one am glad they are looking out for potential victims as well as searching for the POS that is attacking us.

Lisanne!

I thought it was understood that rape is an act of violence, not sexual gratification.

Even if a rapist was specifically targeting women in skirt it shouldn't mean than our society should modify its behavior to avoid a possibility of becoming a victim.

If midgets were being targeted would the cops tell them to start wearing stilts?

moocow

I think you guys are being a bit harsh, this cop had these women within a distance he could speak to them, and he didn't mace them, then that's the real victory here.

TheRealCannibal

Amish chicks better watch out!

Tony

That cop should have driven that woman staraight home and reprimanded her husband for letting her go out of the house without his accopiment! GUYS, this is SERIOUS. We have a rapist on the loose: KEEP YOUR WOMEN AT HOME!