NYC subway assaults rise, raising safety concerns

A woman in New York City had a frightening experience on the subway recently. Samantha Mennella, 29, was riding the 6 train when a tall man approached her and spat on her chest. This incident happened while she was looking at her phone. Mennella was shocked and scared. After the man spat on her a second time, she decided to escape at the next station. However, he followed her and yelled, “Why are you scared of me?” She managed to hop onto another train and lost him, but the experience left her feeling anxious about using the subway in the future. Mennella recorded a TikTok video about her experience, which has gained over 450,000 views. She wanted to alert other women to be cautious, saying, “Let this be a reminder to stay vigilant on the subway, because our city is unsafe.” Since then, she has changed her clothing style and avoids traveling on the subway after dark. Mennella chose not to file a police report. She noted that many similar incidents likely go unreported, which might make subway safety statistics appear misleading. Reports show that misdemeanor assaults in the subway have increased by 7% this year. Many of these incidents stem from erratic behavior, which may not always be considered a crime.