Good thought about the pepper spray, but it's not an option available to those of us have a daily commute into New York.

For those posters who are dismissive of the OP's experience, it's a pretty terrifying experience to be physically grabbed by a stranger who's stronger than you. I think the OP showed a lot of presence of mind and handled a frightening situation well. It's VERY disturbing that her call to the police evoked such an inept response.

Maria, this is awful. Please CALL the Chief of Police's office at 201 547-5301 right away. This is a serious crime and it was handled incredibly poorly. The new Chief will want to know about the incident, I would hope.

Also, you can email or call the mayor directly. He will take this seriously.

Dear Maria - I'm sorry to hear that, it's pretty scary that this man will attack at 5:30pm on a busy part of town. When you are done making the reports and complaints suggested by another poster here, if it would make you feel more secure, my advise would be to carry a non-lethal defensive item such as pepper spray.

It features and alarm and strobe light that alerts people around you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXsBXsl1js

buy 2 - practice using it in your backyard and keep the other in your purse.

laws about pepper spray in NJ:

http://www.misdefenseproducts.com/Pep ... ws-Restrictions-sp-6.html

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OP, I am sorry this happened to you. I would be flying off the rails too. You've been given some good contact info for people to talk to, and unfortunately a few smarmy replies. I bet those same people would never be so dismissive if you were talking to them in person. Bullies hiding behind internet anonymity. As if it would kill them to hold their tongue when an assaulted freaked out person isn't following the exact norms of netiquette...smh....

Imagine how many criminal behavior incidents are not recorded or acted on and later its reported by police and cityhall that crime is at an all time low !
With a new city safety director this will all change and the current police command know it - no more fudging the books and self praising

Those 911 calls are all recorded - You have the option to contact your local ward councillor, local police commander or your Mayor if you feel the 911 dispatch operator and police attending were way out of line, inept or failing as a first responder - The city needs desperately to weed out both types of public servants - Their initial action should never be one of personal opinion or personal belief to your situation - It should have been an instant response to act and let the police on site / location make any further calls on the matter - 40 minutes is unacceptable.

No offense, it sucks what happened to you but seriously ..... You posted at 11:40 and went ballistic how we don't care 20 minutes later because no one replied yet. Eat shit lady, us Downtoners have early morning jobs that pay for our perks... ...... Lunatic asshole

PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!

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Thank you very much for taking my posting seriously and for the references. I will write some letters. Thank you.

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And you possess the same type of presumptuous, haughty, and nasty attitude which is the reason I deleted my account from this forum in the first place, because it seemed to be the attitude of most users at the time, and frankly still does. I used to live Downtown, and it used to bog my mind back then as well. I started another account tonight because I felt it's important, especially for women, to be aware of what I experienced. I got bumped on this forum by a topic where people are complaining about a homeless guy? This reveals a lot to me, nevermind the obvious. We already know there are two different JC's and the people downtown could care less unless it affects them in their neighborhood. I moved close to St. Peter's College about a year ago after Sandy. I have never experienced anything like this until now. I'm sorry but the majority of people that use this are like you. BTW, I do not drink, that is very presumptuous on your part. Here let me be presumptuous and imagine that you are FAT, Big Guy. I am mad, and justifiably so.

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Lady it's after midnight and all the "same old racist people from downtown" are in bed! Considering MariaElizabeth just joined this forum @ 22:54 tonight you seem to know a lot about the people on here. I suggest you put the glass down and go to bed. You can call your city council person after you have a cup of tea in the morning. Hope this advice helps you sleep. Good Night

Wow, that sounds awful and maddening, three times over-from the assault itself to the incompetence of the 911 staff to the offensive and despicable behavior of the police officer. I hope you got the officer's name and are planning on filing a complaint.

I was looking into resources that might prove fruitful
There's the NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault http://www.njcasa.org/

In terms of complaints regarding the police and 911 operator responses, there's Steve Fulop's office, the Mayors Action Bureau, the city council members, etc. all of whom have a vested interest in turning JC around, starting with the major police dept transition.

In any case, I'm so sorry that all of that happened.

Of course, no response, just the same old racist people on this forum from Downtown who are a bunch of wussies and scared of pissed off homeless people. They ignore a situation that has much more serious weight, because they are deluded and think that they are "safe" in their neighborhood. Ah, segregation is alive and well in Jersey City, unbelievable.

I would also like to ask why did a DT grab a person off the street who could have NOT BEEN FARTHER FROM THE DESCRIPTION. Does that not directly contradict the first person I spoke to at the precinct who said they couldn't just "grab anyone off the street?" I really need an explanation to this!!!!

Coming home from work, 5:30pm, clear as day, walking South from Journal Sq, two blocks north of St. Peter's College. A stocky male, early 30s, wearing green khaki shorts to the knee, a sleeveless red tshirt/jersey and a black backpack grabbed me by the waist and tried to pull me over to his side of the sidewalk forcefully, he grabbed the waist of my pants. He was NOT trying to rob my purse, as he could have taken it easily since I was walking with two shopping bags in each hand and my purse was easily accessible. I forcefully pulled myself away and yelled at him and told him I was calling the cops. He turned back three times to wink at me, looking like he really didn't give a damn, while I had 911 on the phone. This was close to the corner of Bond and Kennedy. I kept my eye on him from Bond St. all the way until he crossed Sip, and walked towards the Square. I asked 911 to put me through to the police department. I gave them a description, the first thing I said was that he was NOT black. I said he was maybe Hispanic, but really he could be anything as there are many different kinds of people in this neighborhood. The first person they put me through asked for the description, I gave it to her twice, and she asked me to stay put where I was and I did, for about half an hour, during that time, I called them twice again, was frustrated as they kept asking ME WHERE I WAS AFTER THE WHOLE INCIDENT ALREADY HAPPENED, I SAID, YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR THIS PERSON, SHE SAYS, THEY CAN'T GRAB JUST ANYBODY OFF THE STREET, SO I SAID OKAY AND SHE PUT ME THROUGH TO THE WESTSIDE PRECINCT, SO BUT HEAR ME OUT HERE IT GETS BETTER. I call Westside, officer doesn't seem to have a clue, but then tells me someone was dispatched. Please be advised that by this time, I think it's a moot point, but think it's important to file a report, AS IT IS!!! I finally walked home and 40 minutes later, I got a call telling me that the cops were at the location that I had left after 40 minutes. I went outside and OF COURSE, I GOT A COP WITH AN ATTITUDE WHO WAS COMPLETELY NOT BEING UNDERSTANDING AT ALL AS TO HOW I COULD BE FRUSTRATED BY THIS TIME. He tells me that it was a "busy day" (though he was stocked up on the D&D Coollatta) HE'S PULLING ALL THIS POMPOUS CRAP ON ME AND THEN ASKS ME IF I WANT TO GET IN THE CAR, TAKE A RIDE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMEONE THAT MIGHT FIT THE DESCRIPTION : YOU KNOW WHAT THEY TELL ME?? THEY TELL ME THAT A DT CAUGHT SOMEONE, THEY WANT TO CHECK IF HE FITS THE PROFILE. WHY? BECAUSE HE'S WEARING SHORTS TO THE KNEES, THEY'RE SILVER BASKETBALL SHORTS, HE'S AN AFRICAN AMERICAN KID, AND HE GOES TO ST. PETER'S COLLEGE!!!!!!! ARE YOU SHITTING ME??????? NOW YOU TELL ME, SHOULD I NOT BE PISSED? WHAT KIND OF ABSOLUTE IMBECILES ARE THESE PEOPLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT???? HOW FAR OFF COULD YOU HAVE GOTTEN. I SPEAK VERY CLEARLY!!! HOW MORONIC ARE THEY???? HOW IS IT THAT I COULD HAVE REPEATED THE SAME THING FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES. HOW FAR OFF COULD THEY HAVE BEEN FOR CHRIST'S SAKES AND OF ALL THE PEOPLE, A KID FROM ST. PETER'S?????? I KNOW THAT FOLKS DOWNTOWN FEEL SAFE AND ALL, AND THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT THIS TYPE OF THING OVER HERE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IF THIS GUY FEELS HE IS AT LIBERTY TO DO THIS TO ME ON THE BLVD IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, THEN DON'T THINK TWICE ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE CAUGHT ANY WOMAN ON A DARK STREET IN DOWNTOWN!!! THIS IS WHY I CALLED THE COPS, BECAUSE TYPES LIKE THESE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO ALL. I AM OUTRAGED AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THIS WAS HANDLED ALL AROUND. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE PEOPLE I SPOKE TO GAVE THIS ANY WEIGHT AT ALL AND THEY ARE VERY MISTAKEN IF THEY THINK I'M JUST GOING TO LET THIS PASS. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE BEEN RAPED, THIS GUY, I KNOW THE TYPE, HE'S A PREDATOR. IF SOMEONE CAN POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR GIVE ME ADVICE I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I'M NOT GOING TO SWEEP THE WAY THIS WAS TREATED UNDER THE RUG.