December 13, 2011

Community Meeting Regarding Recent Sexual Assaults


The Fair Oaks Neighborhood Coalition has organized a community meeting. A reader alerted us to this Mission Local article:
Residents near 24th Street and Fair Oaks, where a violent sexual assault took place last week, have asked city and law enforcement officials to meet with the community on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at St. James Church to discuss the investigation.

...the goal of Wednesday’s meeting is threefold: to get an update on how the victims are doing, to set up a fund to help them financially, and to find out how the investigation is going.
We called the Mission Station, but no one was able to confirm SFPD will attend.

Our reader added a few more details:
The first victim, who is a personal friend of ours, is a Noe Valley resident who was walking to the SamTrans bus stop in order to get to work early at the airport to cover a co-worker's shift.

...In addition to these two assaults, the Dec/Jan edition of the Noe Valley Voice listed three other sexual assaults, which according to a police officer that I spoke with may or may not be related to the other two. They were listed as occurring on Jersey, Church and Sanchez during the month of October. The police are considering whether or not all 5 might be related, but the most recent two certainly seem to be. In addition to the surveillance photo that is posted on your site, the first victim did a face/head sketch which has not been widely distributed.

Also, the Fair Oaks residents are apparently trying to set up some sort of fund to help the victims, at least the one attacked near Fair Oaks. If there were any interest in helping out the Noe Valley victim, I would be happy to discuss that further with her and anyone interested in making such a contribution. She will remain off work into January as she is still recovering from her injuries. She lives paycheck to paycheck, and we are providing direct financial support to her so that she doesn't need to worried about rent, etc. on top of everything else.
Stay tuned for more info on how to help the victim. Meanwhile, consider attending the meeting tomorrow night and be safe.

What: Community Meeting Regarding Recent Sexual Assaults
When: Wednesday, December 14, 7:00PM
Where: St James Church, 1086 Guerrero St at Alvarado

Update: More from the Fair Oaks Community Coalition
Dear Neighbors,
In response to the terrible assault that occurred on Fair Oaks at 24th Street on December 8, a public meeting will be held this Wednesday, December 14, at 7:00 PM at St. James Church, Guerrero at 23rd Streets. All neighbors, local schools staff and students, church and community organizations are invited to attend.

  • To assist the survivors of this and another similar attack in November (also on the 24th Street corridor in the Mission), several options will be discussed;
  • City officials and the San Francisco Police Department will provide updates on the investigation;
  • Flyers to warn the public will be available for posting in streets, shops, restaurants, BART and bus stops (or print your own from the attached flyer);
  • An online list-serve is being developed for the neighborhood – get details and sign up! Recommendations on self-defense will be provided;
  • Advice on safeguarding your home will be discussed;

Our neighborhoods can combine strengths to stop these attacks if we heed the guidelines at this SFPD web site.


Please share this invitation with others, and bring your ideas to the meeting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, stay alert and stay safe!
And another update:
Andrew Segal of the Fair Oaks Neighborhood Coalition...confirmed that...Supervisors Weiner and Campos will attend, as well as representatives from SFPD and the DA's office. There are three goals: solving the crimes, identifying some way of supporting the victims, and identifying an avenue for community healing.

[NVSF: Crime Beat: Rape]
[SFPD: Wanted: Sexual Assault Person Of Interest]

5 comments:

sfthen said...

About 1p.m. on a weekday within the past say 4-to-6 months a person meeting this description got into the men's locker room at Garfield Pool, disrobed and was playing with himself which brought the police.

One would assume that SFPD has a record of this and of the person.

Anonymous said...

I too saw the October incidents (sex assaults on street (basically, grabs and runs) but not rapes, which is said to be precise not to diminish the violence) listed in the Dec/Jan Noe Valley Voice.

Somebody should ask the police whether there were any similar incidents in November. And if so, where. Frustrating that the Voice is a month behind with its listings of incidents; and too bad that there is not something available for all police reports that's closer to real time.

Anonymous said...

Sfthen, you should never assume that the police have tried to connect two incidents. I'm sure they have a record of the incident you are talking about, but why don't you give the tip line a call and remind them just in case?

Anonymous said...

not at all trying to place blame, but how is it that nobody heard anything?

Anonymous said...

I've talked to several neighbors who were home at the time, including a woman who said it happened in front of her house...no one heard a thing. They said the victim was knocked unconsious from behind. Sounds like she didn't even have the chance to scream.