Bratton urges ‘buddy system’ for women in cabs
It’s a classic urban fear. A woman gets into a cab late at night and is attacked by the driver.
New York City’s police added fuel to that fear with statistics showing 14 of the city’s reported rapes last year, and two already this year, were committed by for-hire cabbies. And Police Commissioner William Bratton raised eyebrows with comments on the phenomenon that some felt blamed the victims.
“One of the areas of concern that we have is particularly young women coming out of clubs and bars,” Bratton said during a radio interview on WNYC. “They’re by themselves and intoxicated getting into a cab … and we’ve seen an increase in assaults in those instances. So we’re encouraging women to adopt the buddy system.”