Mission Mission

Last night, there was a march for solidarity in response to the rape attempt reported on January 8. Participants marched to 24th St. BART at 5:30pm and stopped to let volunteers speak and share their thoughts.

While some of the speakers talked about ways for potential victims to stay safe, such taking self defense classes, carrying mace, and not walking home alone, I was moved by some of the more idealogical issues about the surrounding community that were discussed. Some of my takeaways of that kind were:

• If someone says she was sexually assaulted, believe her.
• Don’t ignore cries for help.
• Get to know everyone in your neighborhood.
• Don’t blame the victim.
• Don’t joke about rape.

The reason these things hit home for me is because I, like many of you, read comments on this blog. I know that a few commenters fall under these categories when we post about these incidents.

If your first reaction to sensational reports that don’t show up on the news first is to think that they are a hoax, then please consider that some rapes go unreported because victims are afraid they won’t be taken seriously and that they will be shamed in their communities. In fact, I just heard about someone who still thought that the recently-convicted Mission rapist of last year was an “internet hoax”!

No, we aren’t seasoned reporters, but we are members of this community and if we don’t take it seriously, how do we expect anyone else to? It starts here, folks.

We live in a crazy neighborhood where wild stuff happens all the time. We can get numb to it. But we should never turn a blind eye to people in danger. There are so many different people living in the Mission who are invisible to one another. Stopping and getting to know your neighbors can go a long way in knowing when something isn’t right.

Stay safe everybody, but also keep others safe.

[Top photo via Adrian Arias]

In response to the recent assault and attempted rape this week, there will be an organized march for solidarity this afternoon starting at 4pm at 16th St. BART. It is being organized by Rupa Marya, doctor and bandleader of Rupa and the April Fishes.

Judging from the facebook invite with over 500 participants, it’s gonna be big. Here are the details:

Last Saturday January 5th, a young woman was assaulted in an attempted rape on 23rd and San Jose streets in the Mission–the first reported attack of this nature in our neighborhood in 2013. She narrowly escaped by fighting off her attacker.

We are joining together in an act of SOLIDARITY, women and men in the Mission district of SF, to alert the neighborhood of what has happened and to promote increased VIGILANCE by ALL for ALL so that these crimes do not continue on our streets.

Last year, several women were brutally raped on the streets of the Mission, some with broken necks. We must ensure that our sisters, our mothers, our daughters are safe on these streets.

Please bring any signs stating a clear message of NO MORE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON OUR STREETS and MISSION SOLIDARITY TO KEEP STREETS SAFE. Please bring a drum or a pot and a wooden spoon to drum. Please bring puppets if you have them.

We will have bilingual flyers to distribute in the neighborhood, to post in every store front, to hand out to every household stating that WE ARE WATCHING–ESTAMOS ATENTOS so that no more people are assaulted and raped in our streets.

Meet up Friday January 11th–PROPOSED SCHEDULE

4pm Meet up Mission and 16th BART Station
430pm walk down 16th to Valencia, down Valencia across to 24th and Mission Bart
515pm Meet up MIssion and 24th BART Station
530pm walk up Mission back to 16th and Valencia

Read on for a copy of the bi-lingual flyer and manifesto that will be distributed.

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We received the following email this evening, which has been circulating in a few neighborhood email lists. The original message was written by a female Mission resident who was attacked on Saturday evening. The assailant is still on the loose. Please stay safe and be cautious and vigilant if you are walking home alone late at night.

Update: According to Mission Local, “authorities described the suspect as an 5’8-tall Asian man who weighs approximately 160 pounds, between the ages of 20 and 30. He has a buzzcut and a slight beard and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.”

Hello -

If your getting this email its because you are a female friend in my circles, live in my neighborhood-ish, or have a large circle of women friends. I wanted to spread the word of what happened to me so hopefully you and your circles can be more aware, street smart and vigilant about your personal safety.

On Saturday evening I was walking home from a friends potluck through the mission when I was attacked – an attempted rape. I was actually being quite conscious of those around me due to the fact that I’m heading to Nairobi in several weeks and personal safety has been on my mind. As I turned up 23rd street, I noticed a man walking to me that ‘zero-ed’ in on my presence, locking eyes on me. There was no side street to turn down, and I didn’t want to turn around, exposing my back to him, so I kept walking. As we neared each other, I tried to walk around a tree quite close to the curb, before I could do so he lunged at me.

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Reader Kevin spotted this scene on 17th between York and Hampshire:

Is this yours or someone you know’s bike? I find it hard to believe it really belongs to this guy.

As Allan puts it, “the guy has a beard and a hoodie, why wouldn’t he also have a flashy track bike?”

We’ve got more bummer news to report in 2013, although not quite on the same tragic level as the earlier fire and fatal car crash, but at least this one comes with a delicious reward:

I figure it’s a longshot, but someone stole my beloved bright-yellow green glow-in-the-dark bike while I was out at dinner tonight! The bike was kind of my baby/I had it locked to my older crappier one and a railing in my apartment building.

If you/your awesome readership and friends could keep on the look-out for it, I’m offering a cash reward/eternal gratitude/a lifetime supply of homemade ginger beer for it’s safe return!

That’s a lot of Moscow Mules!  Let’s hope it turns up!

Last night a latino man was shot four times on Natoma Street at 15th. Apparently he is in critical condition now, but seemed awake and was moving when I watched them load him into the ambulance. From what I could see the shots were to his stomach.

Here’s hoping he recovers well. Thoughts go out to the friends and family.

Our pal C’mon Pony had a great time at Debaser up until she noticed all her shit was gone:

My purse was on me the entire time and I noticed at some point that the latch was open. I soon realized my phone was gone and initially thought it had fallen out, so I frantically searched the floor around me before I realized my wallet was also gone, and it became clear that someone had somehow grabbed whatever they wanted out of my purse without me noticing. [link]

In our haste to report on the future of journalism, we kind of forgot about the actual story on why there happened to be a (seemingly) bloody bag of money on the sidewalk.  Luckily, Gareth the photographer fills us in:

“Not a bag of blood, a bag of paint bombed money. Bank had been robbed, dude ran up the street (this is in temescal, oakland), paint bomb went off in the bag of cash, dude dropped it and the note that said: ‘This is a robbery give me all the cash I have a gun.’”

More over at SFist.

[Photo by John Birdsall]

Previously:

• Instagramming the crime scene

The future of journalism is already here.

[Metagram by Gareth]

Apparently, our neighborhood thief has a violent rape rap sheet. My bear spray, bokken, & I are still not intimidated.

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

It seems that a woman got a serial package thief arrested today, after setting a trap and spraying him with bear spray. “Professional food pornographer” Sonya Yu tweeted the ordeal as it unfolded. Select tweets appear below in chronological order.

@scoutj he’s the one that’s been rampantly stealing packages in our neighborhood. I put out a bait package today & will be quietly working. — Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012
 

I GOT HIM WITH THE BEAR SPRAY BUT HE ESCAPED.

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

I AM PUTTING HIM UNDER CITIZENS ARREST RIGHT NOW WITH 4 COPS. — Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012
 

HE IS BEIN TAKEN AWAY IN AN AMBULANCE CUZ OF THE BEAR SPRAY I DOUSED HIM WITH.

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

I WAS ALSO HIT WITH BEAR SPRAY BLOW BACK, SO MY FACE IS BURNING BUT IT FEELS SO GOOD. — Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012
 

Tho imagining how bad he’s suffering (considering I emptied half a canister of bear spray onto him) makes me feel better.

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

@nettatheninja he didn’t try to attack me but he did have a knife. I was above him on the 1st floor balcony, dousing him with bear spray. — Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012
 

@whitneyreeder I just citizen arrested & bear sprayed a notorious, violent thief/rapist in the neighborhood that everyone has been after.

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

@whitneyreeder he steals packages from door stoops – stole $1K+ worth from us earlier in the fall. He’s been targeting our neighborhood. — Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012
 

JUST GOT A CALL FROM THE COPS: THEY’RE OFFICIALLY BOOKING HIM FOR ATTEMPTED BURGLARY & NOT JUST TRESPASSING. VICTORY!

— Sonya Yu (@sonyayu) November 27, 2012

Noe Valley SF also has some video.