Since early March, 20 sexual assaults have occurred across five Brooklyn neighborhoods. Last week, Aldolfo Martinez, 26, of Sunset Park was arrested in connection with one of the attacks, but police believe several men are behind these crimes.
Recently, the number of rapes in Brooklyn have increased. So far this year, the 72nd Precinct has received five more reports of rapes – from 13 to 18 – than last year over the same period of time. Residents across the borough have come together as hundreds rallied in a demonstration in September, to ask for safer streets and better policing. The NYPD has been under fire since an officer told a Park Slope women her skirt made her a rape target. “You’re exactly the kind of girl this guy is targeting” he told her, according to the Wall Street Journal. Residents have also been complaining about their slow reaction and lack of investigating.
Volunteer operations were developed by the communities to protect women. While some are organizing escorts for women to and from the subway, others are giving free self-defense classes. How have these assault affected Brooklynites? What has changed in their lives ? We sent our reporters to four different neighborhoods to find out.
Park Slope | Sunset Park | Kensington | Bay Ridge
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