Rise in Sex Crimes Reported on NYC Subways
There has been a significant rise in reports of sex crimes being committed on NYC subways, according to recent news accounts.
According to authorities, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has investigated approximately 50 percent more claims of sexual assault and other sex crimes on mass transit that the law enforcement agency did through the first five months of 2015.
Between January and May of 2015, there were a total of 275 official reports of sex crimes on NYC subways. During the first five months of 2016, that number rose all the way to 431. Many of these sexual offenses included forcible touching, lewdness, and something known as “up-skirting,” which occurs when someone takes a photograph from underneath a woman’s skirt or dress.
But Are Sex Crimes Really on the Rise in NYC?
Joseph Fox, the chief of transit for the NYPD, has cautioned that the rise in the reports of sexual assault incidents on the local subway system does not necessarily mean that more sex crimes are being committed. Instead, said Fox, the higher number of sex crime investigations being conducted by NYPD officers is an indication that more women are feeling comfortable enough to come forward and report the crimes. In a press release, Fox made this point explicit: “I want to be clear – there is no indication that there are more sex offenses occurring in our subways.”
The NYPD chief of transit went on to praise the police department’s efforts to encourage victims to report sex crimes. In the past, noted Fox, sexual assault victims would feel too “embarrassed” or “intimidated” to come forward. Now these sex crime allegations are being properly documented and investigated by law enforcement.
To learn more, check out the NJ.com article, “Reports of Sex Crimes Spike on NYC Subways.”
If you have been arrested and charged with sexual assault, rape, lewdness or any other sexual offense in NY, it is imperative that you have a qualified criminal defense attorney on your side. The experienced criminal defense lawyers at the LaDuca Law Firm can help you fight your sex crime charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation at our office in Rochester, New York.
