A woman in her 60s was groped in broad daylight near 18th and Federal streets in Philadelphia's Point Breeze neighborhood, police said, in an assault that a neighbor says she witnessed and immediately stepped in to stop. The man approached the woman from behind before grabbing and groping her at around 4:15 p.m., according to police.
Mary Martin, who says she intervened to help the woman, described the man as gyrating against her before Martin confronted him and tried to keep him from leaving the scene, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. Martin said she hit the man with her bike helmet and yelled at him as he tried to get away. As he ran, she took photos of him, which she later handed over to detectives.
Neighbor Stayed With the Victim Through the Ordeal
Martin didn't stop at confronting the suspect — she also accompanied the woman to Philadelphia police's Special Victims' Unit, the outlet reported. The area was far from empty when the assault happened; people were nearby at restaurants along the block at the time.
Melissa Repko, who lives directly across the street from where the assault occurred, said someone intervened and noted that the attack took place in broad daylight in front of an active, open business. Officials reported that the man had not been seen in the Point Breeze neighborhood before, according to the same report.
Community Response Emphasizes Vigilance, Not Fear
Martin encouraged people in Philadelphia to look out for one another, saying that calling attention to negative behavior can help de-escalate it before it goes further. Neighborhood residents were not reported to be afraid to go about their daily lives following the incident, nor did they want the situation to escalate further, per the same account.
Anyone seeking immediate support after a sexual assault can call the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center's 24/7 line at 215-425-1625 to reach a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, according to the City of Philadelphia. Residents can also track reported incidents in their area through the Philadelphia Police Department's interactive crime map, which lets users view updates within a chosen radius.
