Hey Craig,
Love your Rogers Park blog. Wondered if you have any info about a horrifying episode last night. I woke up at 2:45AM to the sound of a young girl running up my block (I live at 6910 n. Greenview) hysterically screaming, "Call the police!" I think they're trying to rape me!"
I called the cops but by the time I could find my damn glasses and get outside there was no sign of her. I guess it's been haunting me ever since; there anything about this?
Signed
Living on Greenview
4 comments:
Her screams might have saved her, since (I've been told) attackers are less likely to bother with someone who is shrieking for the police. Either that or, unfortunately, the chase continued and we don't know what happened to her.
Stories like this really scare me because I live several blocks from bus and train stops, and sometimes I have to walk home by myself in the dark. I can't afford a cab, and if I drive, I won't find parking anywhere near my building anyway. The only alternative is to never stay out after dark unless I'm with someone, because otherwise I'm "asking for it." (oh, and sometimes I carry a purse!) Being a woman is apparently a crime waiting to happen.
Is Morse still on the map? From all the different calls coming across the scanner about so many different things...it makes you wonder...
To girl on albion,
Sometimes it FEELS like being a woman is a crime waiting to happen, but a check of FBI stats, which I do regularly, pretty much reveals it not to be the case.
Actually men get victimized much more by strangers, and most of the assaults around here happen to lone males, especially older men. Did you know that, nationwide, males are 77% of murder victims and 92% of Chicago murder victims are male?
It's just that we women feel like we are in a position of weakness, because of our lack of physical strength, and we are, especially with people we have close to us- a woman is more likely to be assaulted or killed by someone she knows than by someone she doesn't.
However, we do get victimized on the streets and it's good to have a few defense tactics handy.
This young woman on Greenview did right to scream. I saved my life in a deadly street assault by struggling with my assailant. He did not expect that, and I bought enough time for the engineer from the bldg across the street to appear on the terrace and scare off my attacker. My assailant saw the man and took off with my purse as a consolation prize.
After being assaulted twice, held up once, and having my purse snatched more times than I can count- this all happened to me in another city- I learned a few things about protecting yourself on the street that IMO are more useful than being armed:
1. Be alert to what is happening around you. Nothing stands you in such good stead as being alert and taking evasive action. You don't want anyone getting close enough to cause you problems. Be prepared to cross the street when necessary.
2. Watch out for recesses such as doorways, gangways, alleys, and learn to walk wide of them and walk wide of corners.
3. Should you be so unfortunate as to find yourself staring down the barrel of a gun, do NOT, under any circumstances, let your attacker take you anywhere. If someone tries to force you into a building or car at gunpoint, run for it. Better to chance getting shot out in the open where there might be witnesses, and assistance, because if you go with your attacker you will mostly end up dead. There have been the lucky exceptions, but mostly when you get into a car at gunpoint you are taking your last ride.
People who recommend that you never go out alone or take a cab, which are impossible for me as they are for you, are copping out. We shouldn't have to get inside after dark, or find someone to travel with, to be safe on the streets. An older man ought to be able to walk from the el with his groceries without a gang of thugs jumping him and beating him half to death. Any law abiding citizen ought to be able to walk in his or her own neighborhood without fear, especially in a mostly middle class area like Rogers Park.
I have hardly ever felt unsafe in this city and I don't accept that this rich town that has so much money to spend on monument-building projects like the ludicrous SuperStation at Washington AVe and the equally ridiculous and disruptive Olympics, ought to settle for becoming another St. Louis or Detroit.
Therefore I get very angry at the victim-blamers and the people who think I should imprison myself in my own residence after dark as defense tactic.
Not to change the subject here, but....does anyone out there know about the convergence of some 10-14 squad cars at the corner of Claremont and Howard (bar on the corner across from what USED to be a Burger King)? This all went down about a week ago--I missed it but a neighbor was talking to me about yesterday when I was working in my front yard.
It's usually kinda quiet on this side of RP and to have that many police cars around is most suggestive...
Anyone? Know anything?
Thanks!
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