A 29-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint by two or three males on the 4900 block of Spruce Street Friday night, according to police. The robbery happened at around 8:15 p.m. The men took the woman’s phone, according to police. The woman was not injured. Police say that later they arrested two suspects near 50th and Larchwood and recovered the stolen items and a BB gun.
January 17th, 2015 at 10:35 pm
Thank goodness the young lady is ok and the perpetrators were apprehended. However, I cannot say this enough: Young ladies, please do NOT walk around after dark alone. It is NOT safe! Please call the University City District to escort you home, or have a relative or friend meet you at the bus or trolley stop. I repeat, it is NOT safe to walk around alone after dark. PERIOD!
January 19th, 2015 at 7:43 am
While I am sure that this was well-intentioned, I think it would be more appropriate to tell all people carrying phones not to walk around after dark alone.
Furthermore, when many of us (of all ages and genders) have to work until dark or later, it is unreasonable to expect folks to not get home unless they have someone who can meet them at a bus stop. I personally would lose my job.
Telling women to change their behavior is not an appropriate solution to this problem and reeks of victim blaming.
January 19th, 2015 at 8:57 am
Sarah, we live in the city. The reality is that because we live here, we must do some things that might be considered “unreasonable” in other areas. Either we change our behavior,or, deal with the consequences. With that said I specifically mentioned “Please call the University City District to escort you home” which is a free option available 24/7 to all residents regardless of gender. Not sure where you got the “Victim blaming” from, but you were right, this was written with the best of intentions. That is all.
January 19th, 2015 at 10:16 am
I agree with Sarah. Strongforu’s “advice” is unhelpful and victim-blaming. It is unreasonable and sexist to declare that women cannot or should not go outside unescorted at night. It justifies this kind of violence when it happens by making it partly the woman’s fault for being outside when Strongforu thinks it is inappropriate for her to do so. It’s also worth noting that men are the more likely victims of street violence, but Strongforu has no such proscription on the movements of men in West Philly!
Frankly I am sick of seeing these kinds of comments on every report of a crime committed against a woman in this area. They are not helpful and do not add to the discussion. They simply recycle old tropes that seek to restrict women’s movements, and they do not make anyone safer.
January 19th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Do as you please, I was only offering my opinions. We are surrounded by citizens living in abject poverty which means there will always be crime, whether random or planned. I was only giving my thoughts on how to keep safe. That is all.
January 19th, 2015 at 6:29 pm
It’s not victim-blaming. None of us want these attacks to happen, and no one here is interested in justifying the criminals who do this. Unfortunately, adjuring criminals to stop robbing people isn’t going to help. Imploring people to be extra cautious at night might.
I’m a 230 pound powerlifter and martial artist, and I understand that there are precautions I need to take, such as not walking around alone at night, to ensure my safety. Anyone who thinks not changing their behavior is an appropriate response to violent crime is just naive.
January 19th, 2015 at 10:37 pm
Look at all the, I presume women, yelling about victim blaming… I’m sorry but the above advice is COMMON SENSE that I use all the time as a male. I shouldn’t have to change my behavior to make myself safer, but you know what, I still wear a seat belt and drive defensively. You do know that men are actually more likely to be on the receiving end of violent crimes than women? I weigh less than practically all the women I know. I take precautions and don’t complain about it because I have a brain.
January 20th, 2015 at 8:08 am
Dude Really, since you have a brain, I’m sure you used your brain to read my comment and see that I specifically pointed out that men are more likely to be victims of street violence than women. Since you have a brain, I’m sure that brain alerted you to the fact that it’s pretty strange that Strongforu specifically wrote that women shouldn’t go out after dark without an escort, since you know and so correctly pointed out that men are more at risk.
Since you agree that Strongforu’s comment and advice is just COMMON SENSE, and since you are smaller than most women you know, I’m sure that you always have an escort when you walk outside of your house after dark. If you go to the corner store, if you go to the bar, if you are coming home from work, if you are walking from the trolley, if you have to run an errand, if you want to get some fresh air, you always do so with an escort. After sunset you never walk anywhere alone for any reason, PERIOD. After all, that is Strongforu’s advice.
Is that what you do? If not, I’m sure your brain would let you know that your comment is hypocritical. Your brain might also point out that your comment is more about chastising women for the perceived infraction of wanting to live our own lives without being constantly barraged with unsolicited sexist advice, and less about COMMON SENSE.
January 20th, 2015 at 10:37 am
I agree his comment shouldn’t have singled out women. It is still common sense. But it is also my experience that women are the ones who are more likely to argue over safety due to their perceived greater risk, whether their perception is accurate or not. It’s great to hear that you know its not. This should make you feel safer.
I am not always with others, that would be taking her/his advice much too literally. I don’t believe s/he means every time you go out at midnight in Center City or down a block or two when the streets are filled with people and vehicles. University City’s main “area” right around the campuses is also a generally safer area. But for Pete’s sake, this article is about something that happened at 49th street.
I said I take precautions. My repertoire includes both of what Strongforu mentions. You can take it in the wrong way, but his/her advice seems in good faith – as s/he says in a comment. It’s all about location, of course, but sometimes you should just call a friend/taxi/transit service. Other precautions I use include more than just being with other people when possible or using available transportation options. It includes planning days so I don’t have to be out late, taking well lit and more populated streets, being alert to my surroundings, walking fast, carrying defensive tools, etc. I realize not all of these are always an option for each person or night, but many of them are.
January 20th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
If you look at the PPD map, 49th and Spruce is has fewer incidents than much of the campus areas, and less than most blocks of Center City. One may perceive they are less safe here, but factually that’s not the case.
January 20th, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Strongforu wrote: “Young ladies, please do NOT walk around after dark alone. It is NOT safe! Please call the University City District to escort you home, or have a relative or friend meet you at the bus or trolley stop. I repeat, it is NOT safe to walk around alone after dark. PERIOD!”
The above is the only safety suggestion that Strongforu made. You declared it to be “COMMON SENSE” that you use “all the time.” Now you are saying that Strongforu’s advice shouldn’t actually be followed because you realized the restrictions it would out on your own life if you followed it.
You were fine with that advice when it was aimed at women. You chastised women, implying we have no brains because two of us stated that the advice was unwanted and unreasonable! But heaven forbid you should have to live by it yourself! No, for you, it should not be interpreted “too literally.”
You are now backtracking and attempting to move the goalposts of the conversation by acting like you were discussing basic awareness and quick walking the whole time, but I’m going to hold you to the comment that you wrote, as you wrote it.