I bought a whistle. I bought two.

[dreamshark]

Because terrifying things are happening in my neighborhood recently. Muggings and car-jackings and even an attempted kidnapping. None are directly related to the ongoing civil unrest, but indirectly I suppose they all are. People are just stirred up, and some of those stirred up people are cruel and predatory. Right now Minneapolis feels like a disturbed hornets' nest. Homicides have doubled in the city this year, mostly gang violence involving guns. But that's not what is going on in my neighborhood (SW Minneapolis). 

There have been two attacks in the past few weeks within 2 blocks of my house. Both of those followed the MO that has become common (possibly gang initiations). A dark-colored vehicle with no license plates starts following someone (usually a woman walking alone or getting into a car). The vehicle stops a short distance from the target. 3 or 4 teenagers jump out and swarm the victim, roughing her up, and grabbing her purse or phone or jumping into her car and trying to steal it. In most cases the attackers are not armed, so there have been few serious injuries. In most of the cases I have heard about from neighbors the victim has screamed, neighbors have come running to help, and the perps leaped into the waiting car and escaped (with or without the purse or phone). There have been a few other totally different type cases that appear to be attempted sexual assaults. There was one guy who tried to grab a young woman walking on 42nd Street in broad daylight and force her into his car (she fought him off) and a creepy lurker who hangs out on the walking path along Minnehaha Creek and gropes or threatens passing women.  

This is a huge change from what I am used to in this part of town, and it is terrifying. The one bright spot is that when people yell for help, neighbors respond and the perps run. Thus the safety whistle. I ordered a pair and Richard has agreed to carry one when he goes on his nightly walks. Now I just have to figure out exactly when I need to wear mine. Walking at night, it seems like a no-brainer. But most of these attacks have been in broad daylight. I am not used to the idea that walking up to Lyndale in the middle of the day to mail a letter is a dangerous undertaking, but I guess it is now, so I will try to remember to wear my whistle when I go out. Is bike riding dangerous? I have not heard of anyone being attacked on a bike, but it is not impossible. I suppose I should wear the whistle for that too. How about just going out in the yard? I haven't heard of anyone being set up on in their yard - this particular crime wave seems to be car-centered. 

I don't like writing about this, but most of my meager following lives in Minneapolis and I consider this something of a PSA. When you go out, be alert for cars or people following you. Listen for screams or safety whistles and be prepared to run to help. The woman who was attacked yesterday screamed loud enough that the younger ears on my end of my block all heard her (Richard and I did not). She apparently did a great job of making noise, but did not specifically yell "Help!" or any other coherent message, so some of the people who heard it assumed it was just kids making noise. So if someone does attack you, remember to yell "Help! Leave me alone! Call the police!" or something that makes it clear what is going on. Be alert and stay in touch with your neighbors. 

Comments

[quadong]

This is awful.

I have generally assumed that riding a bike at speed makes you an unattractive target, since anyone who tries to grab you is likely to get injured by moving bits of metal. On the other hand, riding a bike at not-so-much-speed just makes it hard for you to dodge, and I have heard of people being knocked off bikes.

Indeed I have often ignored screams that I assume are children, who love to scream when they are having fun. Actually yelling "help" is good advice, but I wonder how possible it is to remember that when one is experiencing visceral terror. I think wordless screaming is instinctual.

[dreamshark]

Many years ago my sister was attacked by guys with pool cues who jumped out of the shadows and knocked her off her bike. She remembered that you're supposed to scream and did so (wordlessly). This unleashed her primal fury and she flew into a berserker rage that terrified her attackers into backing off. She unfastened her bike chain (which she was wearing around her waist), started swinging it around her head and shrieking like a banshee. The attackers melted back into the shadows and let her ride away. So that can work too.

[quadong]

Yoikes. Yes, I'd run from a swinging metal chain (2d6 crushing damage) if armed with a pool cue (1d4 at best). Who wears a bike chain around their waist? Your sister, I guess.

[dreamshark]

I would think that a pool cue would be the best possible weapon against a swinging chain, frankly. Once the chain is wrapped around something it immediately ceases to be useful as a weapon.

[quadong]

I think that assumes that the pool cue assailants had any training (or even experience) at all in fighting people with them. Sure, if I had drilled for that move, it would be very effective. If not, which seems more likely in this case, I see a fucking deadly chain swinging at my head and don't feel like risking getting the timing wrong.

[spiderplanet]

I do remember learning that shouting "HELP!" is much better than random screaming, and before I got to your last paragraph, I was going to recommend it. I was mugged about 25 years ago. I just shouted for a few seconds, and then I remembered to shout something useful. I heard tires squeak to stop, and the muggers ran away.

I'm not sure the source for your statistics. If the source is the MPD, maybe take them with a grain of salt, I don't think that cops can be trusted to accurately report on crime. They have a tendency to report it how they'd like it to look in the moment. For instance, Breonna Taylor's boyfriend was offered a plea deal if he was willing to say that Breonna was part of an "organized crime syndicate." It sounds like your neighbors are doing a good job of keeping each other informed.

Stay safe.

[dreamshark]

I don't think I quoted any statistics (except the ones for murder) but the street crime incidents have been reported on Next Door and passed by word of mouth. There have also been a couple of rather vague reports in the Strib of a big increase in street attacks in SW Minneapolis with just a few examples listed. The examples mentioned in the paper were not the same ones that I had heard about in my immediate neighborhood, but most followed the pattern I described. There was yet a different set of incidents mentioned in the SW Journal.

My neighbor 2 doors down ran to try and help the woman who was mugged on Monday and I have talked to a victim of a violent but unsuccessful car-jacking attempt who lives near me on 40th. It seems to be a real thing.

[laramie]

If you add a whistle to your key chain - whatever you use for your house/car keys - you don't have to worry about whether or not to bring it on any particular excursion.

[guppiecat]

Not sure it would be reasonable to expect to get a whistle out of your pocket/purse while being attacked.

But yes, having it everywhere you go would be the reasonable thing to do. Then you don't have to think about it anymore. I'd just keep it on a lanyard.

I keep my whistle in my pocket, but it's really more of an "I'm lost hiking" sort of whistle, so I don't really feel the need to have instant access to it.

[dreamshark]

It's way more likely to be useful on a lanyard, which is where my whistle is. Richard puts his in his pocket. Having spent more hours of my life than I like to think about standing in parking lots waiting for Richard to fish the van key out of the bottom of his pocket, I agree with you that it is not easily accessible in an emergency in that location. Of course it's the perfect place if you're trying to foil a car-jacking. But presumably, that's what that incredibly irritating siren button on my car key is for, right?

[quility]

When I was youngish they told us to shout "fire" if we were attacked bc ppl supposedly ignore calls for help.
I thought this a rather dubious strategy since ppl would be looking for the wrong thing.
I like your ideas better.
I hope I never need to find out what I would actually remember to shout if attacked.

[dreamshark]

I seem to remember hearing that too. I think I'd just feel silly shouting "Fire!" in the middle of a physical altercation. But who knows, maybe it would confuse the attackers, and while they are looking around to see what's on fire you could run away.

[bibliofile]

re: shouting "fire"

I remember this advice, given in the particular case of rape, maybe? It was the '80s. Living in the big city (Chicago), people were much more likely to respond to "fire", especially if they live in your building.

[bibliofile]

I think an alert whistle is a good idea. Sure can't hurt.

(From when my nephew was little, I know that it's especially effective if held near your attacker's ear.)