Several women in New York have now come forward on social media to talk about certain incidents where in which they stated that they were punched by men while they were walking the streets of downtown Manhattan, the CBD of New York City.
Multiple videos surfaced online last week, with women on tiktok. One woman said she was assaulted walking home from a class.
The New York Police Dept. said they made an arrest in one of the incidents and are investigating some other.
The videos have circulated amid the ongoing widespread perceptions in the U.S.that crime is rising. A worrying trend.
Concerns were over public safety have continued to loom in New York as a series of recent high-profile crimes in the subway system prompted government to conduct an investigation. Kathy Hochul to send National Guard members to some of the busiest stations.
In February 2024, the New York police had reported a drastic decrease in shootings, murders and other crimes, like grand larceny, as opposed to February of last year. However, there was a 3.6% uptick in felony assaul.
New York attacks victim statements
Sarah Harvard, 30, was among the women who shared her experience online after she saw other women post videos and decided to speak up too.
Harvard, who said she was walking to her comedy job on the Lower East Side when she was punched in the back of the head near the Delancey Street and Essex Street station the evening of March 19.
“I was not on my phone. I was walking somewhere, and I got attacked from behind,” she told NBC News. “So it’s really violating that I didn’t see it coming and there was nothing I could’ve done, really, to prevent it from happening.”
Neither of the women who posted on TikTok had responded to requests for comment on the ongoing situation, a worrying sign.
