Many New York residents are speaking out about the fear they experience walking down the city’s streets and riding the subways.
The residents say they could easily become the next victim with the amount of crime that continues to rise. The recent Siena College poll solidifies the residents’ fears after finding 41% of New Yorkers have “never” been so on-edge about their own safety.
Some said their feelings of insecurity was driving them to carry pepper spray, constantly have their guard up, and even leave the city.
Paula Gavioli, 32-years old, said, “I love the Big Apple so much that I even had “New York” tattooed on my calf, but now I feel so unsafe that I’m relocating from the Financial District to New Jersey. I’m definitely moving. I’m going to Jersey soon because it’s safer and cleaner.”
“It’s sad to be looking for another place to live that’s safer and where I can have a better life,” Gavioli added. “I even carry pepper spray now at all times. It’s usually in my bag but whenever I don’t feel safe walking around I carry it in my hand.”
“I am concerned I will be the next victim of crime, especially being a woman,” Gavioli continued. “I have friends who have been threatened with knives.”
In addition to feeling unsafe on the subway, Gavioli said she now even has her guard up in areas like West Village where she’s noticed more people shooting up drugs.
“There are a lot of homeless and people doing drugs in the streets and you never know how they’ll react when you walk past. There are a lot of people with mental health problems who don’t want to be in shelters. We have enough shelters but they don’t want to be there,” Gavioli said.
Another resident Marjorie Mann, 39-years old, said, “I am concerned about being a victim of crime. I have lived in New York for 16 years and this is the first time I find myself nervous at subway stations, making sure no one’s going to push me off and being aware of the other people on the train. I didn’t even think about my safety before and now I think about it every time I walk down to the subway. I want to make sure ‘m not oblivious.”
Mann, who lives in East Village and works as a chef, said walking on a street now also made her feel uneasy.
“Being in public places feels more unsafe than ever before. I have got into the habit of only wearing one headphone. There’s been an increase in violence. People seem they have much shorter fuses. People seem like they’re looking for fights a little bit more than they used to. People seem angry and like they’re looking for an excuse to get it out.”
A third resident, Maurice Marbles, 62-years old, is a Manhattanite, who works in construction. He argued the subway was among the most dangerous parts of the city nowadays.
“The subways are full of shootings, slashing, people get pushed on the tracks… People are just trying to go to work,” he said. “Of course I’m concerned. Everybody is taking a chance when they go out. The police can’t be everywhere at every time so it’s people.”
“I have bought pepper spray. I’ve always had pepper spray,” Marbles added. “I try to protect myself, definitely, you have to. You have the right to. This s–t is more crazy now since the pandemic. I’ve been live here 20 years and it seems things of gotten worse since the pandemic.”
