In the wake of an alleged rape and a sexual assault in Zuccotti Park that resulted in the arrest of an Occupy Wall Street protester earlier this week, the movement has erected a women-only safe-space sleeping tent. According to the Post the 16-square-foot metal-framed tent will be watched by female members of the de-escalation team, and can sleep 18 people. "This is all about safety in numbers," 24-year-old protester Becky Wartell says.
One 23-year-old woman tells the paper that she'll be sleeping in the safe space "partially because of the recent attacks that have been happening." She adds, "I think that this will help bring more women to the movement as well. I think a lot of women have been hesitant and especially for those that are new and don't know a lot of people it's hard to find a safe place to stay."
But another 37-year-old protester from Park Slope tells the Daily News she feels safe enough in Zuccotti Park outside of the women-only tent: "Certainly women are the first target for any type of crazies, but I live in Park Slope, and the rapists there are more scary. I feel safer here.”
Two sexual assaults reportedly occurred last week, and police arrested 26-year-old Tonye Iketubosin of Crown Heights on Tuesday night for allegedly groping one 18-year-old protester on Friday evening. Another 18-year-old demonstrator has come forward to the Manhattan DA's office, alleging that Iketubosin raped her last Saturday morning after he offered his tent as a place to sleep. Prosecutors are investigating the claims and have said that the charges are "pending."
Other sexual assaults have been rumored to occur in Zuccotti Park, prompting the movement's General Assembly to release a statement condemning the attacks and offering support to the survivors.
"OWS exists within a broader culture where sexual assault is egregiously common: someone in the US is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes, most assaults are never reported, and most rapists are never held to account," the statement reads. "We are creating and sharing strategies that educate and transform our community into a culture of consent, safety, and well-being. At OWS, these strategies currently include support circles, counseling, consent trainings, safer sleeping spaces, self-defense trainings, community watch, awareness campaigns, and other evolving community-based processes to address harm."
