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Deaf woman sexually assaulted (phillyBurbs.com) | Courier Times
By BEN FINLEY
Bucks County Courier Times
A deaf woman was raped last week in Bensalem, police said Wednesday.
The victim, a Philadelphia woman in her 30s, was walking from Wal-Mart on Horizon Boulevard to a bus stop when she was approached from behind last Thursday at about 8:55 p.m., police said. The assailant dragged her to a construction area near the front of the Horizon Corporate Center, they added.
The man sexually assaulted her and stole $40, reports stated. The woman told family members about the attack after she returned to Philadelphia, police said.
Her attacker is described as a white male between the ages of 35 and 45. He weighs between 210 and 230 pounds and stands between 6 feet and 6 feet, 2 inches tall. He has brown hair and eyes, plus a full beard and mustache. He has tattoos on his neck and both arms, and one of his ears lobes bore a large hole, the woman told police. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt and jeans.
Bensalem police said it took almost a week to notify the public about the rape because the victim initially thought she was in Philadelphia when it occurred and contacted Philadelphia police.
According to the Bucks County nonprofit Network of Victim Assistance, people with disabilities, such as the deaf, are more vulnerable to crime and face more challenges in reaching out for help.
Leslie Slingsby, NOVA's director of victim services, said more deaf people have been contacting the organization for help. She said many of the crimes against them are sexual assaults.
Slingsby said she couldn't attribute the increase to a rise in crime against deaf people. She added that, in the last three years, NOVA has reached out to the deaf community to make people more aware of its services.
Those services include counseling and providing language assistance. Slingsby added that more and more police departments are adding TTY lines to their dispatch offices to help the deaf better communicate with police. TTY lines allow deaf people to communicate over the phone by typing their words.
“Certainly, based on a lot of research, people who have disabilities are at a higher risk for victimization,” Slingsby said. “And it's more difficult for us to get back to them. We don't know if they're in a safe location. And it's certainly more difficult for them to receive and access services.”
Ben Finley can be reached at 215-949-4203 or bfinley@phillyBurbs.com.
September 13, 2007 6:21 AM
By BEN FINLEY
Bucks County Courier Times
A deaf woman was raped last week in Bensalem, police said Wednesday.
The victim, a Philadelphia woman in her 30s, was walking from Wal-Mart on Horizon Boulevard to a bus stop when she was approached from behind last Thursday at about 8:55 p.m., police said. The assailant dragged her to a construction area near the front of the Horizon Corporate Center, they added.
The man sexually assaulted her and stole $40, reports stated. The woman told family members about the attack after she returned to Philadelphia, police said.
Her attacker is described as a white male between the ages of 35 and 45. He weighs between 210 and 230 pounds and stands between 6 feet and 6 feet, 2 inches tall. He has brown hair and eyes, plus a full beard and mustache. He has tattoos on his neck and both arms, and one of his ears lobes bore a large hole, the woman told police. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt and jeans.
Bensalem police said it took almost a week to notify the public about the rape because the victim initially thought she was in Philadelphia when it occurred and contacted Philadelphia police.
According to the Bucks County nonprofit Network of Victim Assistance, people with disabilities, such as the deaf, are more vulnerable to crime and face more challenges in reaching out for help.
Leslie Slingsby, NOVA's director of victim services, said more deaf people have been contacting the organization for help. She said many of the crimes against them are sexual assaults.
Slingsby said she couldn't attribute the increase to a rise in crime against deaf people. She added that, in the last three years, NOVA has reached out to the deaf community to make people more aware of its services.
Those services include counseling and providing language assistance. Slingsby added that more and more police departments are adding TTY lines to their dispatch offices to help the deaf better communicate with police. TTY lines allow deaf people to communicate over the phone by typing their words.
“Certainly, based on a lot of research, people who have disabilities are at a higher risk for victimization,” Slingsby said. “And it's more difficult for us to get back to them. We don't know if they're in a safe location. And it's certainly more difficult for them to receive and access services.”
Ben Finley can be reached at 215-949-4203 or bfinley@phillyBurbs.com.
September 13, 2007 6:21 AM
