Park Slope residents on edge after multiple groping incidents

BROOKLYN - Women in Park Slope say they are on high alert after a series of groping incidents near Prospect Park.

The NYPD is currently investigating three reported assaults that occurred between August 10th and August 14th, but local officials and residents believe the problem may be even more widespread.

The incidents took place along Prospect Park West, between First Street and Eighth Street, where a man targeted women walking alone at night. In each case, the assailant grabbed the victim's buttocks, and in one instance, also grabbed a woman’s groin before fleeing the scene.

City Council Member Shahana Hanif, who represents the district, has requested increased police patrols from the 78th Precinct in response to the attacks. However, Hanif has also raised concerns about the NYPD's handling of the situation, stating that several other women who reported similar assaults were allegedly dismissed or not taken seriously by the police. 

"Many women who had reached out to the police were either dismissed or not taken seriously," Hanif said. 

Residents in the area are calling on the NYPD to address the groping incidents with the seriousness they deserve and expressed frustration with the idea that women should change their behavior to stay safe.

"I think that the onus shouldn't only be on women, it should be more on holding the person who's doing the action accountable," one resident said.