Days after a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted in a portable bathroom in Greenpoint, activists are planning a candlelight vigil near the scene of the alleged crime.
“In the past year many women have experienced rapes and sexual assaults in our community. Many of these events go unreported or without charges … Most recently a woman was raped in broad daylight in our community,” organizers wrote on Facebook. “Let’s show the women in our community that we believe them, we support them, and we want justice for them.”
While police declined to arrest two males in the case, Brooklyn prosecutors said they are investigating the case.
“The case is under investigation,” a spokesman for the Brooklyn DA’s office confirmed Thursday, a day after acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said social workers from his office were interviewing the alleged victim.
“I’m very aware of the disturbing allegation and I can tell you the young lady is meeting with social workers in my office to figure out what she would like to do with the case,” Gonzalez said, according to DNAInfo, during a news conference to announce his formal campaign for DA.
The 26-year-old woman claimed two males asked her for directions, then pulled her into a portable bathroom and sexually assaulted her. They allegedly then took her phone and fled.
Bystanders snapped photographs of two males, who were later detained at Barclay’s Center but not formally charged.
DNAInfo reported that police decided not to arrest the men based on “inconsistencies” in the woman’s story.
After originally claiming she was dragged into a portable bathroom and raped, the victim allegedly changed her story to say she consensually performed oral sex on one of the males, and also allegedly told the police she did not want charges filed, DNAInfo reported.
A source familiar with the investigation said the DA’s office was not “reversing course” on the case and that the suspects could still face formal charges.
