Twenty sexual assaults have been reported to the police since March 2011 in Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Greenwood Heights, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge. Fourteen of the assaults took place on public streets; six took place in the 7th Avenue station of the F train in Park Slope.
Volunteers from the Public Advocate's office, together with community groups and local elected officials, are distributing 3,000 copies of "Making Our Communities Safer: How You Can Help Prevent Sexual Assault & Harassment" to businesses and subway stations throughout the area. The free online guide contains tips and resources to help people prevent and intervene in public sexual assault and harassment. It highlights the work of the community organizations that escort subway riders home for free, and it offers practical points of advice on how to stay safe.
The chapters are Safety Tips, Free Community Services to Escort You Home, Other Helpful Resources, 5 Things You Can Do If You Witness Sexual Harassment, If You Are the Victim of Sexual Assault, and If You Witness a Sexual Assault & Are Unable to Intervene. There's also a Map of Public Sexual Assault & Harassment Cases (March-October 2011).