Occupy Wall Street builds tent as 'safe house' to protect female protesters

[PoliticAverse]

Source: Ny Daily News

Spurred by a spate of sex attacks in Zuccotti Park, Occupy Wall Street protesters built a “safe house” for women on Friday.

The 16-square-foot military frame tent is designed to shelter up to 30 women from the predators lurking around the lower Manhattan encampment.

“It will be used to protect ourselves from people out there,” said Nan Terrie, 17, a protester from East Oakland Park, Fla. “I’m sick and tired of women getting taken advantage of, raped and murdered.

“We need to take charge. We can make it happen without men telling us what to do,” said Terrie, who heads a protester subcommittee called Strong Women Rules.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/occupy-wall-street-builds-tent-afe-house-protect-female-protesters-article-1.972546#ixzz1cqX9hIyE

[Atypical Liberal]

1. This is ridiculous.

And as a member of Occupy Huntsville, this is getting us negative press.

"Why are you protecting rapists?" "Why are you trying to handle law enforcement internally?"

Never mind the fact that the OWS people are clearly trying to not give the police a reason to roll the place over. It looks obstructionist and it makes it look like there is something to hide.

How many women are part of the Occupy Movement? Is a "safe house" for 30 people going to be sufficient anyway?

This whole debacle is just sending a huge message of lawlessness in the midst of protest. Not good.

[femrap]

9. Obviously you have little

knowledge of how police forces handle charges of rape.

If the women of OWS want a place to meet, then so be it. After all, Strong Women Rules.

If you don't think rapists and other perverts will take advantage of the women sleeping at OWS, you are living in a fantasy world.

Maybe you're young and have not experienced the evil out there in the world...just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it is not there. And if women want to protect themselves, they will do so.

Look at Black Bloc...if anyone is giving OWS a bad name, it is them.

Why don't you want women to protect themselves? Or do you think that women should just go home and live in fear w/ no liberty, justice or the pursuit of happiness?

[Atypical Liberal]

20. I think it over-states the problem.

Obviously you have little knowledge of how police forces handle charges of rape.

If you don't let law enforcement handle it, then you are sending a message of OWS trying to protect rapists from law enforcement. That is how this is being spun.

If the women of OWS want a place to meet, then so be it. After all, Strong Women Rules.

Sure. Except the big implication here is that the Occupy movement is violent and unsafe. Great message.

If you don't think rapists and other perverts will take advantage of the women sleeping at OWS, you are living in a fantasy world.

Well honestly, I am puzzled how rape can happen in such a public place with people packed shoulder to shoulder and sleeping in tents with paper-thin walls and nobody notices.

Maybe you're young and have not experienced the evil out there in the world...just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it is not there. And if women want to protect themselves, they will do so.

I'm 41, and consider myself pretty well versed in the world. I have no problem with women wanting to protect themselves. Unfortunately in NYC they aren't permitted the most effective tools to do this, so they are forced to hide instead. But I suspect the problem is being blown out of proportion. I mean what the fuck is going on at OWS? Are the critics right and this thing has disintegrated into a scene from Escape from New York? Somehow I doubt it.

Why don't you want women to protect themselves? Or do you think that women should just go home and live in fear w/ no liberty, justice or the pursuit of happiness?

Personally, I'm skeptical that the problem is so bad that women are now forced to sequester themselves in a cobbled-together convent at OWS. And if it is that bad, then how do we reconcile this with the critics who say we are protecting rapists by trying to handle the criminal problem on our own?

[Name removed]

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[robinlynne]

51. Atypical, I'm guessing you are a man. Ask a sister, girlfriend or your mother

whether or not they would like a safe tent. And respect others, for a start.

Why don't the police take care of rape? For the same reasons the Housing Department does not take care of Housing, and the Justice Department..I rest my case.

[SteveM]

30. You have mentioned the key to the "problem," now find the lock...

"And if women want to protect themselves, they will do so."

A separate "tent" is needed? Just watch over each other and even deign to ask men to help. In any case, just DO IT, and quit talking about it.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Sarah Ibarruri]

23. In case you don't know...

OWS is a movement patterned after the M-15 protests which began in Spain in May 2011, and they set up tents everywhere they protest, for the security and the longevity of the movement.

Granted, I UNDERSTAND the differences between Spain and the U.S. For example, in the U.S. there is far less freedom of assembly than in Spain. There are 'loitering' laws here, which merely exist to allow police to arrest anyone they desire, public protests require the permission of the government, and there are beaucoup laws that I'm sure would go much better in a Nazi nation than in a country that started with civil disobedience and revolution, and prides itself for providing everyone freedom to disagree, and freedom of assembly. HOWEVER, it is precisely because of those things that this movement is important. We cannot live forever with the yoke of the powers-that-be, fearing that perhaps they might hurt us.

I think women are probably being harassed by Republican psychos, and just plain psychos. This is not new. Women have been sexually harassed since there have been women on this planet.

And by the way, what does 'atypical liberal' mean? Libertarian? And are you male or female?

[Atypical Liberal]

38. Atypical.

And by the way, what does 'atypical liberal' mean? Libertarian? And are you male or female?

I'm male, and definitely not Libertarian. Libertarian in my book is basically free market anarchy.

I adopted the handle because I am pro-firearm, which most progressives are not.

[wordpix]

47. Dear Atypical, Rape IS a problem and the OWS women rules group is handling it

Why are you so against their taking an action to protect themselves? :shrug: geesh.

[Name removed]

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[Atypical Liberal]

52. Have you stopped beating your wife lately?

Why are you so against their taking an action to protect themselves? :shrug: geesh.

I'd prefer they simply carry a concealed weapon. Sadly, this is not permitted in NYC.

All I'm saying is that this lawlessness and this unwillingness to involved law enforcement is making the movement look bad.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

62. I'm completely against weapons. I feel lots safer in countries where gun ownership is uncommon

or prohibited. I feel VERY VERY uncomfortable here, knowing anyone can get their hands on a gun, either legally or illegally. Gun deaths are routine here and the idea that one can protect oneself with a gun is pure bullshit made up by people who have a love affair with guns.

[Atypical Liberal]

66. It may interest you to know...

You may be interested to know that violent crime in the United States is at a record low for some decades, and continues to decline, in spite of record sales of firearms since 2008, and in spite of every single state in the nation except Illinois now allowing concealed carry.

People can and do protect themselves with firearms. Without a firearm, when confronted with a violent attacker a victim has only three choices: Flee if they are fast enough, submit if they are tough enough, or engage in a physical contest of strength with their attacker. For some people these are valid choices, and I support people to make those choices. But a firearm is an equalizer that allows anyone the ability to resist an attacker without resorting to a physical contest of strength.

Police carry them because they are the most effective portable tool for self-defense, not out of any love affair with the tools.

You should also know that the vast majority of firearm owners, over 97%, are not involved with violent crime every year. They can't be - there simply aren't enough violent crimes to go around.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

70. The only ones deterred by guns are people like me, who would never commit a crime

Guns are idiocy.

The reason for the lower crime probably has to do with oppression, the mass prisons built. Our country has the highest per capita of incarcerated people of all the advanced nations.

To avoid crime, we need to stop the corruption in this country, have jobs, stop racism, stop the oligarchy-like system. NOT buy more guns.

The excess of guns merely means that those more likely to commit a crime, will do so with a gun.

End of story.

[Atypical Liberal]

73. No doubt.

The reason for the lower crime probably has to do with oppression, the mass prisons built. Our country has the highest per capita of incarcerated people of all the advanced nations.

Oh no doubt. But the fact is the whole mantra of "more guns = more crime" is clearly false.

The excess of guns merely means that those more likely to commit a crime, will do so with a gun.

I'm OK with that, as long as the vast majority of people have access to firearms for defense.

[GreenStormCloud]

75. My wife has deterred three men with her gun.

There were three separate incidents over her life during which she used a gun to ward off an attack. No shots fired. In each case the attacker didn't want to get shot and ran away. Guns are extremely effective tools for deterring a criminal from continuing his crime.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

61. I'm guessing he's afraid the OWS movement will be hurt, however...

if we CAVE IN to everything the powers-that-be demand, and do their bidding, what is the purpose of OWS.

And I agree with you, we women are almost always the ones abused and raped, and we do need some way to protect ourselves while we protest the revolting rape of our country by the 1%.

[Atypical Liberal]

67. EXACTLY.

I am working hard with our local Occupy Huntsville movement.

One of the constant criticisms I have fielded is that we are "protecting rapists" by trying to downplay talking about the incidents that have happened, or reporting them to the police. It gives the impression of trying to cover up the rapes and thus prevent the victims from seeking justice.

Now that we have full-blown women's shelters going on, now it gives the impression that the Occupy environment really is unsafe and full of rapists.

I am all for women protecting themselves from rape, and obviously I am totally against violence against women.

But I am skeptical that such measures as an on-site women's shelter is really necessary. If it is, then we lose the argument of the non-violent nature of our protests, as we are infiltrated with rapists.

As if having to deal with labels of socialist, communist, hippie flea-baggers wasn't enough, now we have to endure "rapists".

[Sarah Ibarruri]

71. Well, as long as OWS remains leaderless, it will succeed. They cannot investigate every person in

OWS, they cannot arrest every person in OWS. The resources are simply not there.

Stop fearing.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

60. Ah ok. Thanks for explanining. I agree with you on Libertarians. nt

[Atypical Liberal]

68. My positions...

I've posted my positions many times before, but here they are again:

I am for protecting the environment from plunder for profit. I support gay marriage. I support the right of women to have an abortion for any reason whatsoever. I support the right of people to unionize or otherwise organize to seek protection against oppression. I support affirmative action. I also firmly support the right of the individual to have the right to keep and bear arms, which makes me atypical among progressives.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

72. Fine. I support a benevolent government that serves its people, not just the 1%.

Guns paralyze the population because they're out there shooting one another. Guns are helpful to the 1%. They will be safe regardless behind their walls. Meanwhile, the people will be out there crazily shooting one another.

[Atypical Liberal]

74. Guns also enable resistence to violence and oppression.

Guns are helpful to the 1%.

So why should only the 1% enjoy the tools that they can use to protect themselves?

[Xicano]

39. 14th Amendment

Makes it clear that: "No State shall write or enforce *any* law which shall abridge the *privileges* or *immunities* of citizens of the United States"

Hi Sarah Ibarruri I just wanted to mention that I believe this sentence in the 14th Amendment nullifies any law which ordinarily would be ok for the States to enforce. However, whenever the citizens of the United States form an assembly, enforcing things like "loitering laws" or requiring a permit is in direct contradiction to the 1st Amendment and falls under this sentence in the 14th Amendment. The Constitution itself IS the permit.

I believe the authors and signers of the Constitution considered its language very carefully. And as I read this sentence I notice they chose to use the term "ANY LAW". To me that means exactly what it says - "ANY LAW". Also, I notice they chose to connect that term to "Privileges or Immunities". Immunities? Immunities from what? The way I read it, it means immunity from any law which shall abridge any of the civil rights protected and guaranteed to the citizens of the United States by the Constitution. Like for example: "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In short. It is my opinion that "federal law trumps state law" with the Constitution being the supreme law of the land.

However, of course that is if we didn't have a Nazi police force working for today's kangaroo courts. As far as who are the likely culprits harassing women. I totally agree with you. Its probably repub psychos. They do after all have a track record of doing unlawful shit for the purpose of discrediting movements they dislike.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

59. That's a good point. Loitering laws are unconstitutional. And yet there they are.

Which shows us that what is said about freedoms in this country, deserves a very close second look.

Thank you for the explanation. You should turn that into a 'Loitering laws are unconstitutional' post.

[EFerrari]

27. Tough.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[AtheistCrusader]

18. Eight and a half square feet ought to be enough for anybody.

[happyslug]

57. This is new (Post Cold War, 1990s new) expandable tent.

Looks like replacement for the old GP Medium Tent, still in wide spread use in the Army and National Guard. The new "Temper" Tents are in 16 feet by 16 feet units, that can be attached to each other. They also have aluminum frame, thus 100% usable interior space. The old GP medium as held up by two wooden (later, post 1960s aluminium) posts. The posts in the GP Mediums were in the middle of the tent, thus took up interior space. Both tents would be good tents for the purpose of being a place for small groups of people to meet.



http://www.armytents.com/
http://www.armyproperty.com/Equipment-Info/TEMPER-Tent.htm
http://www.armyproperty.com/app/forum/temper-frame-tents-various-lins-and-nsns-t103.html

When I first read this article I thought it was an old fashion GP Medium:

[PoliticAverse]

3. DNAinfo.com version of the story...

http://www.dnainfo.com/20111105/downtown/womens-safety-tent-set-up-zuccotti-park-after-sexual-assaults

[caseymoz]

56. According to this one a man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman.

So, in other words, the have one, definite, documented cases of sexual assault and he's being questioned for a second, and whether or not that was at Zuccotti Park is not mentioned, though it probably was.

This shows that, yes, two sexual assaults occurred, probably done by the same sick dude, who they caught. That I can believe. No, women are not being raped in mass numbers, in broad daylight without it being seen.

And, yes, it's worth setting up a "safe house" for. Just don't give people the idea that the Occupiers are terrible people. This story, as reported in the original post, had smear written all over it.

[stevedeshazer]

4. I smell a rat.

Something isn't right here.

[PoliticAverse]

5. NY Post version of the story...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/zuccotti_park_big_top_ilBy4VfYIwDGt2I1rM33vL

[PoliticAverse]

6. CBS New York version of the story (with audio report)...

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/11/05/women-only-tents-set-up-to-combat-sexual-harassment-in-zuccotti-park/

[PSPS]

7. Murdered?

"It will be used to protect ourselves from people out there," said Nan Terrie, 17, a protester from East Oakland Park, Fla. "I’m sick and tired of women getting taken advantage of, raped and murdered."

Maybe I'm out of the loop, but I missed any reports of rapes and murders.

Also, how can 30 people fit in 16 square feet? That's smaller than an elevator car.

[PoliticAverse]

8. I think they meant 16 feet square, 16 feet on each side not 16 square-feet...

So it's 16*16 = 256 square-feet. Also other stories indicate it's for around 15 people not 30.
256/15 = 17 square-ft per person.

[femrap]

10. bunk beds.....ever see

the beds in Japanese airports?

And there have been reports of sexual assaults on women. So I guess you are out of the loop.

I am just blown away that DU posters have something against women uniting to stop rape. :wtf: is wrong w/ you??? Seriously.

[TheWraith]

11. I think the problem people have is the total and complete lack of practicality.

Even if you assume that there are just 200 people at Zucotti Park, and ~50% of them are female, this tent would still be massively overwhelmed in terms of capacity. The idea that it's a solution is, well, absurd.

[femrap]

14. And your idea is what????

People can sleep at various times, you know. From what I read, the women are not 50% of the OWS at night and it's probably due to those men who rape. If Strong Women Rules wants a damn tent, then be glad they have a tent.

It is NOT absurd. At least some of the women will have bunk beds available. BUNK BEDS gives additional space...you do know what bunk beds are, don't you?

What would you suggest to keep women from being sexually assaulted at OWS? As they said in the '60's, 'IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.'

I'm so tired of nah-sayers and uncreative, non-problem solvers.

Hey, maybe after the women build this tent filled w/ bunk beds, they'll build another. Wow, what a concept.

[TheWraith]

15. And I'm tired of pretending that imaginary solutions are the same as real solutions.

And I have no interest in uncritically accepting that just because someone, somewhere, thinks that something's a good idea, it therefore is. There are huge numbers of people in this country who have absolutely no idea in hell how to actually solve problems. Particularly when the "problem solving" so far seems to be based entirely on the principle of "let's not do anything the way that mainstream society does it."

[aquart]

24. Yes, let's stop imagining possible solutions to our problems.

And we should especially stop trying anything we imagine might work. That would certainly improve things.

[femrap]

45. yak yak blah blah

gee, aren't you the creative type?!

[AtheistCrusader]

19. How about the men step up and police the predators among them?

Might be a start.

[aquart]

22. Where does it say the men are not helping?

Where do think the "security" will be coming from?

Or was that just a whining wish that all men could be perfect?

[AtheistCrusader]

42. This is the only apparent countermeasure I have heard of so far.

I'm not there, so I only hear bits and pieces here, and at the MSM, so likely I don't have the full picture.

[Llewlladdwr]

32. Under what authority? NT

[femrap]

44. I believe security is

going to be at the tent...and I would assume that many decent dudes would be happy to assist.

[CTyankee]

76. I get a strong feeling that another agenda is at work in this thread.

Just sayin'...

[Raksha]

25. Not all of the women will be sleeping in the safe house, or need to.

Many will be sleeping with their husbands or boyfriends, which would tend to discourage would-be rapists right there. I assume the safe house is for women alone who don't have a partner.

[caseymoz]

55. Link? And how many?

I heard rumors, but I never saw a story about it, and I would think the MSM and Fox news would be all over that one like ants on gel candy. I didn't notice the women at the Occupy protest in my town looking beleaguered, I'm happy to say.

[caseymoz]

69. There have been two documented sexual assaults that I could find.

http://goo.gl/aupRz

They caught the guy in one and he's suspected of doing the other.

That I can believe. I can believe there's probably a few others that weren't reported. I can also believe a few other guys got obnoxious to the point of harassment. I can't believe women are being sexually assaulted everywhere, every time at this Occupy event, and it gets less believable when you say it happens everywhere. That's a level of paranoia I find worrisome.

I'm all for women uniting to stop rape, uniting for their safety, setting up one of these safe houses over even one sexual assault. It's the siege mentality and hyperbole I don't understand, that I find uselessly divisive. I think other guys feel the same way about that, so maybe it's not opposition to women uniting against rape that you see. Maybe it's suspicion that this "rape happening all over OWS" is either conservative propaganda, or at least a useful wedge for it. That's why you see people incredulous that this is being done.

[spin]

17. I noticed that statement but feel she may have made a statement ...

that applied to all women everywhere, not just those at OWS demonstrations.

I hope that is what is meant.

[caseymoz]

54. Much smaller.

That's about 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 feet. This entire story smells like a smear job. I didn't notice any females looking beleaguered at the Occupy protest I went to.

[a simple pattern]

12. When will it come out that the cops are telling people OWS is a free rape zone?

Or maybe this is the media's way of doing that.

[saras]

13. We've got a winner here.

[Eric J in MN]

36. "26-year-old Tonye Iketubosin was charged with sex abuse"

If it were a free rape zone, then he wouldn't have been charged.

[Zax2me]

40. What a crock of shit.

Of course, the POLICE are going around telling people it is okay to rape here.
Of course, you have no evidence of any kind but are accusing police officers of encouraging rape.
Nice.

[wordpix]

48. huh? get a grip, this is beyond belief

[Odin2005]

16. I find it sick that even at something as idealistic as OWS that Women...

...have to watch out for assholes who try to rape them! :grr:

[dotymed]

28. The media have reported that the cops are sending

people there after they are released from jail. It would sure help them disrupt a peaceful movement.

[Eric J in MN]

35. The explanation is that criminals were released in the area before OWS & still are. NT

NT

[Charlemagne]

21. Shame

That this is even needed. Terrible that there is any violence.....especially sexual violence against women.

[haele]

26. Good- any group gathering in public can attract unaffiliated transients -

Who have no problem singling out those they consider prey and taking advantage on them. I used to go to many SCA events - overnights in large public areas and parks - and we always had to keep an eye out for the drifting people who didn't belong to the event - men and women who had no problems walking off with something that wasn't theirs, or who would start following and haranguing event members who were walking between the event and their vehicles. There were rumors occasionally of rapes or attempted rapes at some events(usually not at the event one was attending, but still, would keep some on edge).
If it wasn't because of event members and too much alcohol, it was often appeared to be the lurkers at the perimeter.
I do know that a couple times there were a few pervs who would try to expose themselves to the kids or any woman they could catch alone - they'd usually be caught and eventually turned over to the police, depending on who caught them.
That's the risk of holding an event in a public place. If you can't control the site and ensure that only event members are attending, you run the risk of pervs and predatory lurkers.

Haele

[SteveM]

31. Got a few "transients" in OccupyAustin...

One pulled a knife and threatened another person; he was arrested, but there are a number of punks/thugs out there who have the same kind of record and (for some reason) are out on the streets.

Folks should read more King and Gandhi: Non-violence should not be equated with pacifism, and self-defense may be required.

[NashVegas]

34. Occupy Nashville Has Had Major Problems With Homeless

This blogger has a very good take on the issue:

http://thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/occupy-nashville-and-homeless-people.html

[JI7]

49. i didn't read the link but aren't homeless part of the 99 percent and one of the reasons

for the movement ?

[boppers]

53. It's an intersesting read, and one of the comments on it:

==
Aren't homeless people part of the "other 99%" too? Looks like a little compassion would be in order, and could be expected giving the cause of these protesters.
==

[TheHomelessGuy]

58. Homeless

It's not really about homelessness as it is about criminality. There are some homeless people who commit crimes. The Occupy movement should not be required to give sanctuary to criminals, regardless of their living status.

[NashVegas]

77. Is That You?

Thanks for the perspective.

[Fire Walk With Me]

63. Look down the list of posts in Political Videos a bit, for Cops directing drunks, etc. to Zuccotti.

To create problems they can use to shut it down.

[Taverner]

29. I'm saddened that this is needed - but glad it's there

[varelse]

33. +1

:(

[unionworks]

37. even in my small towns occupation

There was a problem with street people stealing stuff, and young hoods lurking nearby, scaring the people unaccustomed to these things. Their solution- they got to know a few capable homeless vets who now take turns staying there. The baddies know who they are, what they are capable of, and stay away. Noone deserves to live in fear, male of female. I salute those who recognized this problem and help protect these women.

[PoliticAverse]

64. WABC-TV Video version of story...

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=8420367

[PoliticAverse]

65. Gothamist.com version of the story...

http://gothamist.com/2011/11/05/occupy_wall_street_erects_women-onl.php