All over the internet, women are posting stories and videos after getting punched in the face while walking the streets of New York in broad daylight. So far, CBS news reporters have determined the attacks have mainly been limited to Chinatown, the West Village, Chelsea, and Midtown. It’s particularly popular to find such videos on TikTok, sparking outrage and fear among women everywhere.
One victim, Sarah Harvard, posted about her attack on X (formerly known as Twitter), recounting how she was hit in the back of the head, leaving her with nausea, headaches, dizziness, and blurry vision for the rest of the night. She tweeted it was “really violating that I didn’t see it coming and there was nothing I could’ve done, really, to prevent it from happening.”
Police have made three arrests so far, but are still looking for more perpetrators. They believe there are multiple perpetrators, and it’s unclear whether they are connected, according to NBC News. Some were on their phones, some walking from class or work, and one victim even walking her dog at the time of the attack.
A suspect was arrested by the name of Skiroky Stora, who allegedly assaulted Halley Kate, a TikTok social media influencer who posted about her experience. Kate’s assault took place in Chelsea, NY, when the alleged suspect was walking a dog and punched her in the head.
Another suspect, Franz Juedy, was arrested in March for an attack in Brooklyn where he punched another woman walking home from work.
One recent attack on March 20, 2024, which was reported by the NYPD six days later on March 26 has marked the fifth verified attack on women in New York City. The NYPD is not currently calling the series of attacks a “trend” and will not comment on whether or not the incident on March 20 is related to other incidents.
This prominent spike in violence against women has become a viral trend online, with many women fearing for their safety regardless of whether or not they’re in NYC. Police have still refused to acknowledge or comment on this new pattern, despite multiple victim accounts.
