Danger: Portsmouth Patrols Increase--Sexual Serial on the Loose--Virginia Beach Too

Portsmouth Patrols Increase: Reporting Rape Important

Rapes do not always go reported due to many reasons: a lack of faith that police will catch the criminal or that the judicial system won't send them away for long (think John Gardner in the Chelsea King case) are two such reasons.

Some victims feel that police won't believe them or they feel shame that it happened at all and don't want anyone else to know. And then there are those victims that fear that reporting their attack will bring reprisals from the rapist, which is what the rapist is hoping for. They've terrorized a woman and now hold her captive by fear when they aren't even around anymore.

But four women in Portsmouth, VA did come forward and report their attacks, thankfully. Those four women may, by their willingness to report their attack, help to save another woman from such a terrible experience. And here is why: the more the police know about the modus operandi (method) the rapist is using to successfully attack and disappear, the better able they will be to catch him.

This is one time when police really need ALL the info, ladies. And as hard as it may be to recount all the details of such an occurrence--including filthy words or acts demanded--it helps law enforcement know exactly which type of rapist they are dealing with: Power reassurance, anger retaliation, power assertive, or sadistic (detailed information about each of those four types can be found at: Radell Hunter's Profile Page.

Portsmouth Patrols Increase: Police Give Women Advice

The Portsmouth, Virginia police are urging women in that area to make sure their windows and doors are locked at all times. Obviously the sexual serial on the loose in Virginia right now is using both of those avenues of entry into the victims' home; not just one or the other.

This disclosure lets us know that these are home invasion rapes; not rapes committed in parking lots or other locations. That is important for women to know when a sexual serial is on the loose. Although it should not mean that you let down your guard anywhere you travel to, since this public announcement by police could prompt an MO change now by the offender.

Your home is where you should be able to feel the safest and least in danger; it is a haven after a long hard days work. But sexual serials barge into a womans home and want to make her feel vulnerable and unsafe. This is especially true of the more sadistic types of rapists.

But a police female detective is working this case and her name is Jan Westerbeck. The presence of a female detective working the case should go a long way in building up trust in the women who have been victimized and in helping them feel more safe since the attack.

Women tend to feel more at ease sharing embarrasing rape details with a female police officer rather than a man, and they know the woman officer will try to do everything in her power to catch their attacker, even making sure that extra patrols are provided in case the intruder attempts a second visit (and they do many times).

But making a victim feel safer and less embarrased is something all law enforcement agencies try to be sensitive to in such cases. And some male officers can be just as supportive as their female counterparts, so if you are the unfortunate victim of a rape try to be as forthcoming with the male officer sent to you as you would a female. It is in your and future victims' best interest that you do so.

Portsmouth Patrols Increase: Case Details

Since Portsmouth has had four such attacks in the past nine months, and Virginia Beach has had two, it would appear the sexual criminal is being very busy and escalating in his attacks. So many in such a short period of time is indicative that the sexual offender is coming unglued and will likely grow more violent.

However, according to authorities, they have not officially labeled all the attacks as perpetrated by one individual, so the verdict is still out--in their eyes--as to whether this is the work of a serial or not. But the fact that they have put out a public notice about the possibility tells me they strongly suspect a serial is at work.

The case similarities have led them to even try and tie the attacker to the Virginia Beach attacks, as the press release stated on WTVR.com.

Each victim is still living, so that shows the offender is a rapist and not a murderer at this point. Since the police have not called these attacks 'brutal' in the press, it leads one to assume that a rape is occurring but no behavior that would lead to the conclusion that the attacker isn't what law enforcement labels sadistic or power retalitory. This is good news to a degree, since those two types of rapists are the worst for a woman and her ultimate survival.

Portsmouth Patrols Increase: What You Should Do

If you live in the Virginia area, including those outside of Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, you need to maintain daily contact with family and friends if you are a female living alone. Maintaining contact will aid others in knowing something is wrong if they haven't heard from you first thing in the morning or after you have arrived home.

Given the current police report that they have stepped up patrols themselves tells me that you need to be on guard as well; someone needs to know if you have 'checked in' that day. It will also help to have someone stay with you during this period, at night especially.

Some may think that having someone stay over is an extreme measure for the current situation, but serial sexual offenders are looking for women at home alone at night. They canvas neighborhoods and watch the behavior of its residents. They know which women are alone.

Having someone stay over increases your odds of not becoming a victim of a serial sexual offender. And if they were to strike, you would have help in defending yourself. If you don't have anyone who can stay with you at night, be sure to leave a radio going during the night, or a television or a light on in one room of your home all night long. This will make the potential attacker think you are still up and might not be such an easy target afterall.

But don't discount that some attackers commit rapes during the day, even though it appears the Portsmouth one is committing his at night. One case in particular I am aware of involved a rapist who was brazen enough to enter an unlocked patio door during the day. So be aware of your surroundings when you arrive home or leave for work each day and lock up.

Early morning rapes and late evening ones are the two most common timeframes for rapists. And they will be looking for women who don't appear very aware of their surroundings--or who are living alone or careless about their safety.

Don't panic, but be safe. And if there are other single women in your Virginia neighborhood, bond together to share knowledge of any suspicious vehicles prowling the neighborhood or walkers or joggers that you haven't seen before in the area.

Phoning the police to report suspicious people in your neighborhood is definitely all right in times like this and is actually encouraged. Police know that rapists patrol a neighborhood themselves before attacking, so help them out by sharing unusual car drive-throughs or people, since they may catch the rapist this way.

Source
Portsmouth patrols increase following sex assaults