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A woman visiting New York City was raped in an alleyway near a nightclub in midtown early Sunday morning, police said.
The 20-year-old woman from Australia left the club, Lavo, and got into a cab, but fought with the driver and exited the taxi after a short distance, police said.
She had just exited the taxi on East 58th Street at about 3:30 a.m. when she was grabbed from behind.
She was then dragged into an alleyway, where she was sexually assaulted, police said.
According to a law enforcement official, the woman then got into a second cab and texted a friend that she had just been raped. Police were called and met her at another location where she was headed on the west side.
Because she was so intoxicated, the official says, the woman cannot recall the exact location where she was raped.
People who live and work in the area were surprised about the attack.
"It's a good neighborhood, it's a high-class neighborhood," said Joe Agate, a delivery person who works near the nightclub.
He noted that it's usually very quiet when he works in the early morning.
Police have released a sketch of the suspect, who's described as being in his mid- to late-30s, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
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All you F@@king complete idiots that even comment on her intoxicated state should be castrated, spayed and neutered in public so you can't push out more ignorant retarded spawn. So that's an excuse for some sub-human primate-like life-form to rape an innocent women. I really and truly can't wait until one of you r female relatives, daughters in college, girlfriends, wives, etc gets drunk and then gets savagely raped. What would your comments be then you incomprehensible morons?
And women have a responsiblility to protect themselves. That means not being drunk and alone in an unfamiliar place at 3:30am. She may as well have been asking for it.
I don't think anyone thinks it good she was abused, but people need to be responsible for their actions also. I see it as much her fault for putting herself in the situation. Same with the college campus rapes. When people are drunk strange things happen.
@crasher999- You have serious issues. Your issue is more with him possibly being a black man than her actually being raped. If we look at statistics, I'm sure more white men rape women in this country than any other race. Does that make you feel better?
I promise you, @most special, NO woman or man ever asks to be raped, regardless of their actions.
Funny (i don't mean ha ha) how when its an American abroad its the fault of the locals and their backwards ways, but when it is a tourist in the "good ol USA" its the tourists fault wtf!!
my guess is she didn't have money to pay first cabby so he booted her... and it rolled downhill from there...
Maybe the first cabby might have tried it on with her, it's not uncommon, and she fought him to get away from him.
It is a shame when people will blame anyone but the perpetrator of the crime.
And it's a shame people are so stupid to put themselves in situations like hers.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly states 340 rape complaints in the first three months of this year, compared to 274 during the same period in 2010, a 24% jump. How he managed that accurately since this is only February 13, I don't know but this is what he said. I guess he figured it would sound better if he quoted it as three months.
But this one makes national news? Or maybe I just missed the other 339. But young people often don't use common sense, sometimes with tragic results and this is the result of that. Crime is very high in large cities in Australia so she should have known better. But when your young you thnk your bullet proof. Luckily she didn't lose her life but if she was in a bar at 3:30 in the morning by herself in a foregin city she probably didn't lose a lot she hadn't already lost but hopefully she learned a lesson.
Oh Carl you poor idiot. That article
www.nydailynewsDOTcom/news/crime/rapes-spike-staggering-24-year-quarter-nypd-crime-statistic-release-article-1.108476
"The NYPD logged 340 rape complaints in the first three months of this year, compared to 274 during the same period in 2010, a 24% jump."
was for 2011. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
And how many of those rapes were the women drunk?
I would be nice for a change if those folks posting could stay on point and not turn the conversation into one of race. The fact is that rapist coming in all nationalities shapes and sizes so this is not a crime that is exclusive to a particular ethnic community. However I will say that it is more frequent as a crime within certain communities and that can not be disputed.
How's that gun free zone working for ya?
@RL56, who in the hell pays attention to any gun free zone? I and a lot of people I know don't abide by it. Why should anyone abide by it? I prefer to make sure I can defend myself. But also, in a foreign city, and getting drunk, by yourself, is asking for it. No female should have to go through that ordeal, but rape does occur, all over the planet.
Ladies, just don't make it easy for those male predators, learn how to use, and then carry a weapon to defend yourself. The cops are just minutes away when you really really need them. Your weapon is there right with you, and can be used in a split second, when seconds count.
If the Mayor of NYC doesn't like the fact I am carrying when/if I visit his city, TS numbnuts, I have the right to defend myself and my virtue.
Make sure you go to the shooting range totally hammered, because you would be expecting yourself to be able to shoot straight even though you cannot walk straight, so you need some good old TOTALLY DRUNK shooting experience. Yeah, great friggin idea dimwit. YOU should not be allowed to own a gun.
sleep- you are assuming she is stupid enough to get completely wasted and not be aware of anything,some of us do not put ourselves in that position(especially when carrying), there is no need for your condesention and name calling, you must be a liberal,right?
So the general consensusis that it's her fault for being out late drunk? And had this TOURIST been armed with a firearm it would all be ok because she would have been able to shoot the attacker? Seriously people get your head out of your butts. People who think it's her fault at all or the city's fault are enabling the problem.
Well Maxx I disagree. No one is off the hook. We are not even sure who committed what crime? Was she shaking the cabbie down and that is what got her the boot? Why was she hammered, who was serving her drinks obviously past her prime? And of course is there evidence of rape and then who committed that assault, and the time leading up to it.
Too many unknowns for me.
Tourist or not, she may as well have been asking for it the way she was acting.
Holy mother of stupid people...
a) she's a Tourist
b) she's a Tourist
c) stuff happens but IT'S STILL NOT HER FAULT
d) Rape is bad (not good or defensible in anyway shape or form)
e) no woman has ever asked to be raped and if you think they do you are pretty much a rapist waiting for a girl to send out the signals to be raped (these "signals" are nothing more than things made up in rapists heads).
f) The Cabbie should have some responsibility in it if he isn't already an accomplice. Cabbies should be looking out for people they expect people to look out for them.
People should be able to go outside anytime of the day alone and go where they like in public and I know this isn't always the case but the majority of the time you will be fine. Thinking otherwise is telling people it's ok and you accept and support the fact hat there are rapists out there wandering the streets.
Hmmmm.
She was an idiot, period. DId a rape even occur? She was drunk and mad at the first cabbie?
Was it I'm a spoiled brat and someone dissed me tale....probably.
Maybe its time for penis control in New York.
"People were surprised and said it was a good area". HELLO, there are no "good areas" in New York City. It's a cesspool of crime. Only two types of people have guns, the cops and the bad guys. Everyone else is left to the mercy of the criminals and that is usually none. New York City is one big "gun-free zone" where your chances of injury or death are the greatest. Only fools live in or visit New York City.
When we go places we shouldn's and do things we shouldn's we sometimes pay a big price.
so a drunk with a firearm. no rape, maybe a dead cabbie.
So now people think that they should start selling guns to tourists? Brilliant! Maybe someone should set up a rental agency, like for cars. It could be right next to the car rental agencies in the airport. When people think that guns are the answer for everything there is a serious problem.
The next thing that will be banned is the penis. Because all of us males have one and they aren't registered, we might go off the deep end and mass rape.
According to Mikey Bloomberg, rapes are cool so long as nobody involved has an oversized soda, or attempts to use salt. Had she been armed and able to defend herself, she would be in a NY jail. The drawing of that rapist looks like he could have been Barack Benghazi Obama's son.....if he had one.
Great post
@stevejc42, most likely she would be in jail. And most likely the rapist would either be dead or in the hospital. I realize and understand that a whole lot of people cannot be trusted with guns, but come on, the huge city is a gun free zone.
Hell, everytime I go to the mall, which is also a gun free zone, I am violating that gun free zone. While the mall may have itself made it a free zone, it doesn't mean there is any laws on the book that make it so. And if there is, no big deal, criminals don't follow the law, and I reserve the right to defend myself.
I'm not saying I am carrying a firearm, but a tazer, or bear spray, or a knife is not a gun. Like to see a jury convict anyone of not only carrying, but using one of them in a gun free zone. I doubt if any District Attorney is stupid enough to even go to court over it.
Sally Ann, face it, the only reason you strap that piece to your thigh is that that is the only thing that will ever see the inside of your thigh and it is what keeps you moist. Can you say Penis surrogate?
wow- i didn't know we had the all knowing,all wise "sleep is the key" on board! He knows why everyone carrys! it's either PENIS SURROGATE or LACK OF ONE,right? you sir(or maam) are a complete fool. You make assumptions and are correct in all of them,right? another liberal afraid of all guns.
@SallyAnn-4595694
GM SallyAnn
First, it's a LEGAL gun free zone. Of course the gangbangers don't bother with those minor details. And the others that carry illegally, are the criminals without records. They're breaking the law to survive and only breaking the law because it's so draconian for law abiding people without connections, power and/or money enough to get a carry permit.
Oh.... even those protection devices you mention are illegal in NYC. About the only thing not against the law is the victim being allowed to say "pretty please with sugar on top".
And prosecutors in NY only toss the weapons charges against the criminals during plea bargaining. They DO bring them against the otherwise law abiding citizen. Ever hear of Bernard Goetz?
I'm sure the PD have seen this before and are questioning if a crime had been commited. Was there a rapist? Or was this story made up to cover up a quicky in the alley? This story just doesn't sound right. Stay tuned.
I'm
surprised no one has mentioned the fact that the girl was only 20 years old and
drinking at the clubs
damn billybob i was too late
She used a fake ID.
After all, who the hell in America knows what an authentic Australian ID looks like
what about the bar/bars that served this 20 year old the alcohol? Last time i checked, you had to be 21 to drink in the US. If she wasnt bar hopping, where was she drinking/ at a friends house? those who supplied an under aged person are also partiallt responsible for anything that happens to their underage patrons/guests. Ultimately it is the scumbag rapists fault, but there is more responsibility out there in this case also
She's an idiot for putting herself in that situation, plain and simple. Sucks to be her!!!
Young 'n dumb and full of.......
negative energy attracts negative energy.
This is why women can't be on the street at ungodly time of the morning by herself and drunk no matter what state because there is always someone out there ready to take advantage and that is a fact.
Maybe he left enough DNA in her he might be in the system and that would be a way to find out who he is MAYBE.
If he didn't use a knife or gun in NEW YORK it wouldn't be considered a rape and he will not even go to trial as I have heard that before about the law in NY.
JW101 at #12.3
52 Percent of rapists are white. Rape by a total stranger is rare. Rape usually occurs by members of family (ex or current), friends and acquaintances, loved ones (ex or current).
The Criminal
Who the fu*k cares. Rape is rape! I can state that the majority of crimes are committed by bIacks and they are a minority (less than 14% of the population). What's your f-ing point, numbnuts?
Was trying to make a point. And I totally agree that rape is rape. The rest not so much. I'm tired of people quoting numbers and always leaving off the part regarding whites (men or women).
Let's see, she was to drunk to remember where the rape took place but she gave a good description of the rapist!! This gal is full of crap. I bet they don't spend much time looking for her sex partner.
agree that her story strains credibility.
Well that looks like just about every black man in NY.
Good luck catching him, haha!!
If she was so drunk, that sketch is most likely way way way off the mark too
Looks a little like Bloomburg!