Tell the NYPD to Stop Undercharging Sex Crimes and to Take Rape Seriously!

Tell the NYPD to Stop Undercharging Sex Crimes and to Take Rape Seriously!

Started
December 3, 2010
Petition to
New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and 1 other
Confirmed victory
This petition made change with 548 supporters!

Why this petition matters

Started by Jaclyn Munson

Every day, we rely on judicial officials and police officers to protect us from harm's way, providing security to fortify society from those lacking moral scruples. But what happens when those whose duty is it to protect us neglect their responsibilities? The Village Voice has recently reported that many NYPD police precincts are undercharging sex crimes in order to report quantitatively-friendly crime statistics in the city. Failing to report major sex crimes as they truly exist does more harm than good, especially when statistics lead people to believe they may be safer than they actually are. 

Additionally, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., while still promoting his candidacy last year, pledged to publish sex crime statistics that would help determine whether the perpetrators were being prosecuted effectively, thus indicating whether justice is truly being served. The constituents of these statistics in which he pledged to publish included: all sex crimes in New York City definitive of rape and felony charges, total arrests made due to sex crimes, number of indictments, sentences via trial or plea with state time, felony convictions via trial or plea with state sentence, and cases involving individuals acquitted of jail time. He has yet to fulfill his promise. 

Rape is a very serious crime and an act that involves mental, emotion and physical abuse. Apart from physically harming the victim, the act itself is incredibly demeaning and fosters emotional and mental turbulence, a loss of self and many other psychological maladies. 

Rapists give up their right to legal sanctuary and mitigated charges when committing such an abusive crime that takes so much from their victims. These victims deserve as much justice as their abusers deserve proper conviction. Undercharging sex crimes and neglecting to publish statistics precipitates a dangerous pattern- how are officers supposed to detect patterns of sex crimes and rape if they refuse to acknowledge their quantitative existence? 

It's time to speak out against the silence. A safe society is an informed society. 

It's time to take rape seriously!

Confirmed victory

This petition made change with 548 supporters!

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Decision Makers

  • Cyrus Vance Jr.New York County District Attorney
  • Raymond W. KellyNYPD Police Commissioner