Published: Thursday, 4th September, 2008 08:00
Leader: This is not a violent town
By Reading Chronicle, The Voice of Reading
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THE town has seen two rapes in two weeks.
After years of falling crime rates in the town centre it is shocking and horrific that two women have been put through such a violent ordeal, whether or not the attacks were linked.
But it is heartening to see that the town is already pulling together. The vicar from the church where the most recent rape happened praying for her and her family. The University of Reading is reassuring soon-to-arrive students with safety advice, and the police are doing all they can to catch the attacker or attackers.
Even the pubs and bars know the risks, and give out advice and safe taxi numbers. Walking home alone late at night is never a safe thing to do, man or woman, drunk or not.
But those students coming here later this month will see this is not a violent town, despite these despicable crimes.
Others have already asked how responsible it is for young women to walk home alone, especially after a night out.
But they must remember that the villains here are the vicious criminals who committed these rapes.
Of course, people should try their best to keep themselves safe, but those to blame are the evil and cowardly men ready to drag women into the dark and attack them.
Hopefully somebody knows something or saw something, and the sooner they come forward the sooner these attackers will end up dragged to prison themselves.
The community cannot and will not let crime ruin our town – it is pulling together like it always does.
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