By LEIGHTON WILLIAMS, Staff ReporterWOMEN WHO ARE unaware of the location of the bus terminus for buses heading to rural Jamaica are being targetted by rapists when they stop to ask for directions in Downtown, Kingston.
According to the Denham Town Police, over the past three years, there have been at least eight cases where women have been raped by men who promised to take them to the bus terminus when they got lost and asked for directions.
But, instead of taking them to the terminus the women are often taken to the railway track just behind Tivoli Gardens where they are robbed and sexually assaulted. In addition, there has been one incident of attempted rape.
The ages of the women are said to range from their early 20s to mid 40s.
The police say in the latest incident, a woman in her late 20s was almost raped by a man after she stopped to ask him for directions.
According to the police, the woman was on her way to Mandeville when on reaching the Coronation market she approached a man asking him for directions. The man promised to take her to the bus stop. However, instead of taking her to that location, he reportedly took her through a path which he told her it was a shortcut to the bus terminus.
Numerous occasions
The police further report that while taking her through the path, the man held on to her hand and took her to the rail track where he hit her in the face and stomach and took away her cell phone as well as other items. He then attempted to rape her. She managed to escape from his grasp and ran unto Marcus Garvey Drive where she was picked up by a passing motorist who took her to the Denham Town Police Station.
The police said at first they thought it was a group of men who were a part of a gang. However, based on the description given by the victims they have come to the conclusion that some of the women's attackers are probably working alone.
They said they have warned persons on numerous occasions to be careful but the problem persists.
In the meantime, they are warning women travelling to rural Jamaica who are not certain of the direction to the terminus to go in the company of persons with whom they are familiar and who are aware of the location. If they are uncertain, they should seek the help of the police in getting the directions, or risk asking other women.
