Scores of extra police, security guards, civilian patrols and even firefighters weren’t enough to prevent the rapes of two more women in Oslo over the weekend. Police reported that the attacks occurred late Saturday night.
An 18-year-old woman told police she was raped outside a nightclub on Pilestredet, a busy street leading from downtown up towards the Bislet and Majorstuen districts, while a 24-year-old woman reported being attacked after she’d taken a so-called “pirate taxi” from the City Hall area home to the St Hanshaugen neighborhood. The latter attack was reported just after 5am Sunday.
An attempted rape was reported late Friday night, on Rosenkrantz Gate in downtown Oslo. “The victim put up strong resistance and got away,” Svein Ole Grunnvåg of the Oslo Police District told newspaper Aftenposten.
Around 110 volunteer civilian patrols, called “natteravner,” roamed the streets both Friday and Saturday night. “Unfortunately, two rapes occurred anyway,” Lars Nordbom, leader of Natteravngruppen in Oslo, told Aftenposten. “In addition the fire department volunteered with patrols, and so did Viking (the automobile towing and repair service).” He said extra private security personnel were on the job, along with a big boost in police patrol.
“But even if we were 1,000 persons on patrol, we can’t be on every street corner,” Nordbom said. “And not in pirate taxis.”
He said it was important to stress that the attacker is always to blame in an attack, “but we are putting out some advice. Be careful with alcohol consumption, be aware of your surroundings, don’t walk alone and don’t take pirate taxis.”
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that there now have been 116 rapes reported in the capital so far this year. Only nine of the reported attacks have resulted in convictions.
Views and News staff
