New York police have long been frustrated by not being able to keep known subway sexual harassers from returning to the scene of their crimes, intervening only once they see someone grope, grind, molest or indecently expose themselves again. Now, The New York Times reports, city lawmakers will consider a dramatic measure: a proposed lifetime ban from the subway system for repeat sexual offenders.
Such an extreme measure faces long odds, but it has prompted a debate about a problem that many women who ride the subway must contend with on a near-daily basis. The number of sex crimes, including felonies and misdemeanors, on the subway are on the rise — 165 were reported through March 17, a 10 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the New York Police Department — but police believe many incidents still go unreported despite efforts for years to encourage more victims to come forward.