street harassment

Submitted by Cool-Jacket4854 t3_113kbpt in newhaven

hello! first post, not sure if this is the right forum, but a general question - this week i was walking up near the new haven green (where i walk at least twice a day) and someone starting screaming at me (about how they want to k!ll/harm me etc) and chased me a bit down the street. I usually just walk that street and mind my own business but stay alert. I was super shaken up about it (no physical harm was done), but i've lived here for a while and never seen/experienced anything like that before. Generally, that area has been safe for me. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it common/ should I just avoid that area?

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raptoryzb t1_j8qsoaw wrote

I think it might've been some dude that's either on something or just not quite right in the head. Just walk in places where there's other people, but yeah that sounds trippy.

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Dangerous_Remote_965 t1_j8r6973 wrote

Welcome to gun wavin New Haven....

When it warms up the trouble comes out full force.....

Sorry about your Interactions, but thankfully it's the driver's not the crackhead you gotta watch out for mostly around here....

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cton_uniqueid t1_j8r9g7a wrote

Sorry that happened to you! It's the first I've heard of someone yelling out actual threats, but I have heard women talk about being harassed while walking near the green. I hope you can find some solution that makes you feel safe.

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Kinjo37 t1_j8ravv7 wrote

A lot of people with mental illness are on the green. Be safe

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teefling t1_j8rbh35 wrote

Sorry this happened to you! Unfortunately I have had similar experiences where I used to live on Whalley around my apartment building.

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fingers t1_j8rhbjn wrote

Spring like weather brings out the loonies.

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Time_Yam301 t1_j8rhmqf wrote

That's been the green since circa 1992!

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Daviddoesnotexist t1_j8rp2sv wrote

The new haven green has historically been pretty sketch. It’s been cleaned up a bit in the last few years, So if your new here you may not have experienced it’s true colors- but this is not an out of the ordinary occurrence that you Speak of.

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quiet-sorrow t1_j8rq35c wrote

Same has happenned to me twice. Last time was a guy on a bike that started yelling and cursing at me. I am sorry this happenned to you too.

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GovernmentNo4676 t1_j8s5zza wrote

It would be in your best interest not to walk the green. Full of addicts and mental health cases.

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spatcherlongdog t1_j8s7lt3 wrote

I've had a similar experience. I was walking out of Elm City Market and a woman started walking after me screaming and shaking her umbrella at me. I just kept my head down and kept walking, but it did shake me up a little bit.

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numitoke t1_j8sambf wrote

Maybe he's on a trip from the mayor endorsed tent city.

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tequilamockingbird37 t1_j8se1zo wrote

I lived in new haven for most of my life and all over the town. This is average especially with the weather getting nicer. My suggestions as a grown ass woman that didn't make it past 5'1. Ignore it, obviously stay vigilant and constantly aware of your surroundings but literally do not give them any attention. I always had a keychain with pepper spray or mace. If it's late at night or you're uncomfortable keys in your fingers brings a small sense of safety. I learned very young very quick the worst thing you can do is to stop and talk to them or acknowledge them at all. Keep on moving and get where you're tryna go

Also around the green there are always people from the courthouses and stores around. If you're walking and someone does that find a fake friend. I've walked up to literal strangers and asked if I could pretend to know them and chat for a minute so someone would bugger off and leave me alone. Living in new haven you'll achieve the wonderful skill of feeling a person out without ever speaking to them. I never felt unsafe anywhere in new haven but I was always hyper aware of my surroundings bc that's what they taught me k-8 in our mandatory street safety classes. I doubt they do that anymore but it stuck with me. Stay safe out there 💚

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bigtuna732 t1_j8segm2 wrote

I work downtown most days and I’ve seen a skinny dude do this before scream and yell at people I’m sure he’s got mental issues …I’ve also seen people piss and shit right on the side of the roads no fucks given down chapel close to state street

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thepianoman456 t1_j8t1hnd wrote

I’ve had a random drugged out psycho follow me and my GF to our car after hanging at Bar a couple years ago… tried talking him down the whole time, then he punched me full force right in the temple. I didn’t fall down, told him to fuck off or I’d lay him out, and he went away… after trying to get us to run over his head with our car.

Yea there’s some violently mentally ill people on the streets.

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JWilsonArt t1_j8t7rrb wrote

Yeah my guess is mental illness, someone off their meds, having a bad time of it. I realize it's probably unnerving, but you are almost certainly as safe as you ever are. That's a very public area and so you are probably safer there than a quieter street even if it seems like it may be the opposite. Try not to judge the people around the Green too harshly. Most of them are just there waiting for a bus and don't have a choice but to hang out in the area, but the bus stop also attracts a small percentage of people with mental health issues (or drug dependency issues) who have no where else to go.

Keep alert, but also don't look or act "sketched out" because people will understandably take offense to that. If something DOES start to go down, I feel like strangers step in to help where they can more than you might expect.

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johnsonutah t1_j8tajyn wrote

Sadly the city and state allow drug addicts and severely mentally to hang out around the green. It’s honestly a real drag on New Haven

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ObviousCrow3 t1_j8tfpk7 wrote

Around the green is so much worse than anywhere else I've ever been. Its a real shame.

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sew-fee-uh t1_j8tj43w wrote

unfortunately this normal green behavior. sorry you experienced this though!!

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JWilsonArt t1_j8ux3qd wrote

Replying to Imrahil33 (#1,838,568)

Where did I blame anyone? I just said to try not to judge people in that area too harshly because MOST of them are just there waiting for a bus. I've heard way too many people lump everyone in that area together when really there's just a very small handful with mental illness or drug issues who make an over sized impression. And the further truth is 99% of the time even the "crazies" will leave you along and not pay any attention to you, unless you are acting like you are way sketched out by their very presence.

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kamaone t1_j8v1bhj wrote

It happens. It's a very populated city. It gets tense around three green. Not really the best place to hang out alone unless you have a reason to or are passing through/catching a bus .

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Akunhun t1_j8v452g wrote

Downtown new haven is filled with dangerous mentally ill drug addicts, anyone who says otherwise is willfully ignorant and likely a transplant

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podcastjunkie099 t1_j8xpedb wrote

The New Haven green is privately owned, so the city can’t do much about it.

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Shellsbells821 t1_j95j8f9 wrote

And now the mayor wants to put permanent bathrooms and locker rooms on the green for the homeless people who hang out on the green.

The green is supposed to be for gatherings, etc. Not a homeless camp. How could he possibly believe this is good?

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johnsonutah t1_j98cdd7 wrote

Replying to brewski (#1,873,209)

Lol numerous people have OD’d in the New Haven green in one weekend along - it’s getting used for much more than just a “public space”.

It’s just a shame is all, because it could be a boon for New Haven but instead it’s widely known (and accurately so) as a place mostly for drug addicts and severely mentally ill to do whatever the fuck they want

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