Dozens of women participated in a rally in front of the 94th Precinct in Greenpoint Tuesday to denounce a precinct captain's comments that seemed to trivialize acquaintance rape, as well as what they see as the NYPD's general attitude toward sexual assault.
NYPD Captain Peter Rose made the comments at a Community Council meeting last Friday in response to the reported 62 percent jump in sex attacks in his precinct. Ten of the 13 cases did not result in arrests; Rose seemed to imply that because all of these cases were alleged acquaintance rapes, there was little reason for concern.
"I'm outraged. I have two young daughters. We live here," said Resham Mantri, 39, a resident of Greenpoint who attended the rally. "Our police should understand issues like sexual violence," she added.
Rose seemed to downplay the severity of acquaintance rape in comparison to stranger rape, telling DNAInfo that "some of them were Tinder, some of them were hookup sites, some of theme were actually coworkers. It's not a trend that we're too worried about because out of 13 sex attacks, only two were true stranger rapes." He continued, "They're not total-abomination rapes where strangers are being dragged off the streets."
Greenpoint has been a hotspot of assaults this past year. Women from the neighborhood have been critical of the 94th precinct, claiming that there has been a lax police response to the increase of reported rapes and that women who bring assault charges are not treated empathetically.
"One case should not take precedence over another. All survivors should be treated with the same respect and all survivors should be believed" said Natalie, 19, a student from New Jersey who came out to the protest.
According to statistics gathered by the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, also known as RAINN, 7 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone the victim knows.
(Joshel Melgarejo/Gothamist)
Rose publicly apologized via Twitter on Monday, saying that his comments mischaracterized NYPD procedure.
His apology was followed by an op-ed from Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill that appeared in the Daily News Monday night. O'Neill said the NYPD takes rapes and sexual assaults seriously and that every report is investigated thoroughly.
O'Neill detailed the steps the NYPD has taken to encourage victims to come forward in his statement—such as collaborating with Sexual Assault Task Forces to create and widely distribute a pamphlet that explains what sexual assault is, how to report it, and where to get assistance. He also pointed to the department’s creation of the Crime Victim Program, which would place two trained victim advocates in every precinct and Housing Bureau police service area to assist victims of crime.
The NOW-NYC, the women's rights advocacy group that organized the rally, issued a list of demands to the NYPD, including having all 10 of the 94th precinct's "unsolved" rape cases re-opened and developing a department-wide plan that imposes oversight and accountability to ensure that acquaintance rapes are taken seriously.
"Captain Rose's comments are offensive and outrageous, but they are symptoms of a larger systemic problem within the criminal justice system," NOW New York President Sonia Ossorio stated in a press release. "To suggest that any rape 'is less serious' re-victimizes survivors of rape, creates a climate where women are more reluctant to report rape, and stands between countless sexual assault victims and justice."
Diane Vargas, 41, another Greenpoint resident, called Rose's comments "horrifying to hear." She continued, "I have a daughter, I'm raising her in this neighborhood and I am really worried that we don't have the protection that we need."
