Sometimes defending the lifestyle of my clients to the general public takes a step backward because of the behavior of one person. It doesn't help matters when local neighborhood associations begin beating the war drums, but honestly, who can blame them, especially when it's made clear by police that the person was first and foremost, "a homeless man." I'm not exactly sure as to why the fact that a person was Homeless would make such a difference to anyone, other than to inflame tensions and advance stereotypes about a particular group of people, but it's almost always the first thing about an individual identified to us when that person has been the perpetrator of a crime or obnoxious behavior.
To be fair, this is not a pattern reserved only for Homeless criminals. Businessmen, politicians, just about anyone who is accused of a crime, has their social identity announced when the press reports the crime.
What is unfair is the amount of stigma heaped upon the rest of the Homeless when one of their ranks steps over the line, especially when that step involves something as brutal, frightening and disgusting to the moral fiber as rape. For example when a person who works as say, a bank teller, and goes out and kills a prostitute after an illicit tryst, the rest of society doesn't then view all bank tellers as potential murderers and sexual deviants. But I can guarantee that there are a number of folks who will be railing against Homeless people by lumping this one piece of fecal material who committed an absolutely heinous crime in with every other Homeless individual who simply tries to make it through another day with as little hassle as possible.
Once again it isn't a fair method of analysis and rapists come from every conceivable background, but the "Homeless rapist" seems to instill a special kind of fear to some, for whatever the reason. Worse, the incident is already being used to polarize factions while increasing tension between downtown businesses/homeowners and a population that has nowhere to go and no way to get there even if they did.
Woman Raped At Knifepoint At Bicentennial Mall
Sep 18, 2007 10:17 PM
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro detectives are trying to identify a man who raped a 22-year-old woman at knifepoint in the Bicentennial Mall Tuesday morning.
Police believe the suspect is a homeless man who beat and raped a woman who walked through the downtown Nashville park.
The woman was walking from a club when the man asked her for a cigarette. Then he approached her from behind, threw her to the ground and held a knife to her throat.
Residents who live near the park said they need to have a neighborhood watch program and stronger police presence because of incidents such as this.
"Downtown residents are fed up with vagrancy and the problems it brings- the litter, crime, the panhandling and the harassment," said Ben Bahil, vice president of the Urban Residents Association. Before the attack, members of the association discussed ways they can keep their neighborhood safe.
"Everywhere I go I can walk or ride my bicycle to get there," said Alex Wert, a resident.
Wert said living near the central business and governmental corridor comes with its share of problems.
Wert said he has a girlfriend and he makes sure she carries Mace with her. He discourages her from walking outside at night.
The victim walked to a nearby building and called police. She was treated and released from the hospital.
Police said the suspect is a homeless black man who appears to be in his late 40s to early 50s. He is approximately 6 feet tall with a thin build, short hair, and goatee. Police said he wore a black sweater with several T-shirts underneath, dark pants, and white tennis shoes.
Anyone who has information about the crime or sees a man fitting the suspect's description is urged to call the Emergency Communications Center at 862-8600.
