Shocking rise in number of rapes and sexual assaults in Irish sections of the Bronx

In response Aisling Center to host a self-defense workshop

By

CAHIR O'DOHERTY,

Irish Voice Reporter

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

13 Comments

Worrying increase in attacks taking place in Irish community in the Bronx

Tweet

Shocking reports of a spate of rapes and violent sexual assaults in the strongly Irish neighborhood of McLean Avenue and Woodlawn in the Bronx have seen community leaders there take decisive action this week.

This Thursday, November 15 at 7:30 P.M, the Aisling Irish Community Center will host a community information session and a self-defense workshop in response to local concern about the alarming attacks.

According to Aisling Center director Orla Kelleher, the intention is to raise awareness locally and to share information about the ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.

“We want people to know that these attacks are on the increase and to be extremely careful when you’re out socializing,” Kelleher tells the Irish Voice. “We’ve printed safety guidelines and distributed them all over the bars and restaurants in the area.”

The new guidelines ask the community not to go out alone or go home alone at night. When traveling to and from venues choose a reputable taxi company and where possible travel with friends. For safety it’s also better to ask your bar tender to call a taxi and then wait outside the bar until it arrives. Always have your cell phone ready too, Kelleher counsels.

There is anxiety in the community that a number of the attacks were made by a local Irish driver. “That’s why I am making that point,” Kelleher explains. “It has come to the Aisling Centers attention that at least one of the attackers may be Irish. They haven’t been identified to me, but they are known in the community. Whether they know them to be the attacker or not I cannot say.”

Read more news from the Irish Voice newspaper here

Prosecution of the alleged attackers is being complicated by the concern of undocumented Irish people that they will be deported after stepping forward. “Most of the victims have chosen not to report what occurred because of their legal status,” Kelleher explains. “Even though they know the police are not concerned about a person's legal status. They can’t be convinced. They also fear the legal process here and fear what they might be put through. It has been said and with some degree of fairness that they could become victims all over again if they were they were to press charges.”

No matter how many times they heard that they will not find themselves subject to deportation proceedings after pressing charges, some victims may have actually chosen to return to Ireland rather than deal with the issue.

Print

E-mail

Tweet