NEW YORK, NY-- Ana Morris, an SVA student was assaulted September 7th at 11:30 am at the west 59th street station because she was not able to assist man with directions.
“I was listening to my headphones, when I saw this guy ask people for directions.” Ana says, assuming that she might be next. “When I couldn’t tell him how to get to Canal Street he ridiculed me for not knowing so I put my headphones back on, which made him more upset.” The increase in his temper prompted Ana to walk away. “Upon my first step he immediately started kicking me in the shins.” When the man attempted to prod Ana towards the tracks, another woman finally intervened. “I’m glad I only walked away with a bruise, but honestly feel that someone could have intervened earlier.”
Not all platforms are equipped with MTA Officers, and payphones can be problematic, thus we depend a great deal on the passengers around us. “What goes on inside is personal, I cannot tell you how we distribute officers to platforms.” Says an MTA Officer on the phone. As far as his advice, he stated that ‘The only thing I can tell you is walk away, go into the next subway car, or even leave the platform.” MTA Officer Monroe, stationed at the West 4th Street platform encourages passengers to “Call it no matter what, verbal or physical as long as it is making you or the victim uncomfortable.”
From 2008 to 2009 the MTA has experienced a 20% decline in overall subway crime rates. The numbers of felony assaults on the subway have dropped by 30 incidents. [1] The MTA has done a number of things to improve this, such as installing more surveillance and conducting on the spot training for subway crime.
Though subway crime is declining, New Yorkers still feel jaded to public acts of criminal offense. “I once saw a guy slap his girlfriend around.” States NYU student Miranda Hill “And while I was stunned, when I asked the people around me to call the police, they said: What do you want me to do?”
Such scenarios can be applied to the bystander effect, an effect, which claims that the more populated a place, is, the less likely a person will intervene in the midst of a crime.[2] The bystander effect holds relevance in metropolitan areas such as New York, where crime is abundant and taking action seems useless. There is however hope for the elimination the effect, as 911 can be dialed without service, and the MTA is currently making deals with cell phone companies, so passengers can even make phone calls in transit. [3] Such accomplishments, will serve as necessary protective actions, in order to avoid harassment or assault when riding the subway.
[1] http://mta.info/mta/compliance/pdf/2009%20Annual%20Report%20Narrative.pdfhttp://mta.info/mta/compliance/pdf/2009%20Annual%20Report%20Narrative.pdf
[2] http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsychology/a/bystandereffect.htm
[3] http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/26/2010-07-26_a_hard_cell_but_mtas_finally_sold.html
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