A disturbing trend of individuals engaging in public indecency has been on the rise in the bustling streets of New York City, according to recent crime statistics. Reports indicate a staggering 51% increase in complaints of individuals publicly pleasuring and exposing themselves, reaching a total of 378 incidents through June 30. This marks a significant surge from the 251 complaints recorded during the same period in 2023, as revealed by data from the New York Police Department (NYPD).
Citywide data further reveals that law enforcement officers issued a shocking 396% more criminal summonses, totaling 159, to New Yorkers caught exposing their genitals in public, including instances of urination. This alarming spike in summonses is a stark contrast to the mere 32 tickets issued in 2023, highlighting the severity of the issue.
Residents of Greenwich Village, such as Brian Maloney, have expressed their distress over the escalating incidents. Maloney shared footage with The Post, capturing a long-haired naked man fondling himself in a chair outside the Washington Square Diner during a rainstorm. Additionally, he recounted an incident where a woman decided to parade nude in a subway car, causing discomfort among commuters. Maloney, like many others, feels exhausted and ignored, as their pleas for help from elected officials seem to fall on deaf ears.
During a recent meeting of Manhattan’s Community Board 1, which encompasses the Financial District and Tribeca, residents voiced their frustration over the police’s alleged failure to respond adequately to their complaints regarding a grime-covered serial masturbator sporting a Marine Corps tattoo on his back. Captain Joel Rosenthal, commanding officer of the First Precinct, informed the outraged locals that even if the perpetrator was caught in the act, he would likely be released within two hours due to the nature of the offense.
Experts, including Carolyn D. Gorman, a mental illness policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, attribute the surge in such disturbing behavior to a combination of lenient laws and a broken mental health system. The push against incarceration, coupled with the city’s inability to effectively treat the severely mentally ill, has resulted in these individuals being left on the streets. Gorman emphasizes the need for enforcing laws and prioritizing psychiatric treatment to prevent such incidents from occurring.
