A 30-year old woman told Mission Local she was raped near her house early Monday morning.
The woman was walking home from Bender’s Bar on South Van Ness Avenue shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday when she was attacked from behind by two men on the corner of 19th and Capp streets, she said.
The San Francisco Police Department and the Mission Police Station could not immediately confirm the incident happened.
The victim, who sounded shaken up by the experience, came forward to Mission Local because she wants to warn others about the incident, she said.
“I don’t want someone else in this situation,” she said. “Hopefully we can get people notified and be careful.”
“I was heading home and two guys jumped on at me,” she told Mission Local. “Two Hispanic men, one was a tall guy, one was short. It was dark. All I could remember [is it] happening very quickly.”
After attacking her from behind, the men dragged her to a nearby driveway on Capp Street where she was raped. She tried defending herself by punching and scratching one of the assailants.
“Both grabbed me a couple times, I hit one and they took me to the ground and there is nothing I can do after that.” The two men also took cash she had on her, she said.
Later that night, she went to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment and an examination.
She’s now trying to recover physically and emotionally.
“Physically I am in a lot of pain,” she said. ”I am pretty hurt.”
“ I don’t necessarily think it was a targeted thing, but I don’t know,” she said. “It seems like it could have happened to anyone who was at the wrong place.” she said.
The woman said she’s staying at a friend’s house. She isn’t not sure she will come back to the Mission.
“They might live in the neighborhood,” she said.
“I have been living in this neighborhood for seven years and I never felt particular unsafe,” she said. “That’s certainly changed now.”
She noted that the area is very dark at night.
To the victim’s knowledge, there have been no arrests.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the victim. It’s horrible what happened to her. I’m a native from the Mission and I often wonder why I see so many hipsters walking alone at night. I feel like rolling down my window and screaming at them “don’t you know it’s not safe to walk alone”. It’s never been safe to walk alone. NEVER!!! So I trip out on how I see so many people walking alone at night.
It is troubling that Mission Loc@l apparently can’t be bothered to verify the validity of claims before rushing to report them as news.
There’s a reason journalists don’t just report everything they hear without checking first.
This is not nitpicking. This is essential for your credibility. If you’re not fact checking, you’re a gossip column at best.
I lived around there 1996-99. I got mugged and was called a faggot. He just punched me. Didn’t steal anything. I would never live around there again. I feel safer in Oakland now. Believe it or not…
It’s easy to spot thugs at night. Why don’t we see any rich, smart, wealthy people out at night to take out the trash? Because nobody cares. Cops don’t care. Neighbors don’t care. Nobody actually wants to help challenge the criminals.
And if you do? Suddenly, you’re a “vigilante” who gets locked up by a stupid jury. Especially in a place like San Francisco, where most of the residents try and craft a fantasy reality where evil doesn’t exist.
As a nurse at SFGH, I’m (sadly) quite familiar with the process for reporting rape. If an adult seeks medical care after sexual assault, the report we file is NOT a police report. It goes to a separate unit and is kept confidential from the crime unit. A police report, which triggers a criminal investigation and is a matter of public record, is only filed IF the victim wants to. In this case, it sounds like she elected not to file a police report in the immediate aftermath, though she may later choose to do so.
I hope that clears up the confusion and dispels any further accusations that the lack of a public police report implies the victim is lying (which I frankly find quite offensive).
I have been thru the rape process at general hospital. And they are great. But dealing with the police and da I regret filing a police report it is humiliating. Everyone including family and friends blame you and he still gets away with it because sf decides not to file charges. I suggest the victim go to the trauma recovery center it really saved my life.
Thanks for clarifying that, Sarah.
As I was sexually assaulted in April, this point was not made clear to me by the nurses in the E.R. or on the advice line. The CAD that was filed on my behalf was given to me as “a case number”. And for a month I believed since I had a “case number” that I also had a “case”. Luckily, I called the SFPD to follow up and only then was I told that a CAD# is not the same as a police report case # and only then did I go in to file a police report.
Granted, nothing has occurred in my case, and I was even told point blank by someone in the “cold case dept.” of the Sexual Assault Unit that they would not be pursuing my case for lack of evidence, though I learned just yesterday that the police did acquire the surveillance footage of where I was the night the incident occurred. It seems to me that there is a lot of misinformation out there in general, but also within the various police units themselves, or at the very least, a lot of miscommunication.
This was a terrible thing to happen to you. Thank you for warning others.
so did this really happen or not because it is unfair to scare people like this. the police know nothing how is this possible???? someone please let me know!!!
If she went to SF General and received a rape kit then the police would have been informed. Since they were not informed there is something wrong with this story.
NEVER WALK HOME ALONE!!! TAKE A TAXI!!! I was walking from work a couple of years ago with tears coming down my eyes after getting fired from a job. I was still not very familiar with the mission and It was obviously upset walking home. It was around 5:00pm still light out, I noticed a guy following me but I thought it was just in my head. It started around 18th and Mission. I turned a corner to make sure, and he turned as well. I then decided to walk towards Guerrerro and turned another corner making sure I was near a major street. He still followed I turned back and saw him smiling at me eye contact…I was on the phone the whole time with a friend telling him to stay on the phone with me. A stranger was passing by me when I stopped him and said “HEY SHAWN ITS ME HOW HAVE YOU BEEN!?!?! CAN YOU WALK WITH ME PLEASE???” Staring at the guy I made sure he knew I was aware of him.
I’ve lived on Mission & 19th for 7 years and I walked around these corner at all times I also feel lucky nothing ever happened. One can tell danger is out there and so it’s in every corner of the city. It is hard to listen too but we shouldn’t be walking alone at 2:00am and after.
Thank u joej……you make some relevant points. If this woman truly went to ANY hospital then they are BY LAW required to contact police. At this point story is too little facts, too much fiction.
Any good reporter would get facts straight before putting fear into people. Way too many unanswered questions.
I find it very distasteful Mission Local continues to show their stalker-y “fashion” pictures of women, which look to be taken without the subject’s knowledge, on the site while carrying a story about a rape in the neighborhood.
I called the Mission Police station to ask why they are not doing anything and they told me they have received a lot of calls about this, but no report was ever filed. So, there are some flaws in this story somewhere. Did the woman report it to the police, or not? Can someone confirm this. If so, we need the police report number to make any headway.
This report of a rape is horrible. I can easily imagine a victim being so traumatized as to not report it to the police, though it seems inconsistent to then report it to this blog, and also on Reddit.
Sfpd does not investigate or prosecute rape period
Why isn’t SFPD confirming this? Why haven’t they put out a statement? What are they waiting for, a dozen other rapes to happen?!?!?
Andy, I have passed your awesome note about the video footage from the store along. I also have friends who know the victim. I pray he has something. I would love to see some justice served for her! Be safe all!
the police didn’t confirm? what, she called some random site to say she was raped? not buying it
what was she wearing?
excuse me? what was she wearing? how is this relevant?
Really??????? In this day and age you really think this is an appropriate question to ask, flippant or serious? This is such a repugnant statement, I cannot even begin to register my disgust. Please rethink your line of reasoning and imagine if this was your mother, sister, girlfriend, best friend. Would you *still* ask “What was she wearing?”
Yeah, he would. Ignore the troll. He’s pathetic.
Can people kill people based on what they were wearing?
the were probably Tongans
Do Tongans have Hispanic accents? Cause I’m better these rapists spoke in Spanish-accents. Or else the victim speaks Spanish. Where do you get Tongans?
To the reporter who wrote this story: If a woman has medical proof she was raped and filed a police report, she was not allegedly raped. Did she provide you with her police report number? Did you call an SFPD spokesman or just ask around at the Mission station? The pubic information officers with the most power are at 850 Bryant. I’m a little miffed you could not get an affirmative statement from police that this event was reported. Please followup with more details.
We are following up today. Best, RH.
IIRC the northeast corner building is loaded with at least three cameras pointed different directions at that intersection.
Story seems a little suspicious to me. Was there or was there not a police report filed?
I follow a lot of Sexual Assault cases and the rights of both the victims and the accused.
If a report was filed, the police would be able to make a statement on the fact that something was filed. If she hasn’t filed a report, she needs to immediately and have the hospital rape kit submitted as evidence.
Please also note that not all Hispanics walking around the mission are looking to rape women. It is not uncommon to see a heavier and slimmer Hispanic pair.
Please continue to watch out for your friends and neighbors and exercise caution.
not a jerk — what is suspicious about this story? The cops’ disinterest in a woman being raped by two men? or are you suggesting she was racist for being attacked by two men she believed are Hispanic? When crime victims report criminal assault, they get to describe their assailants, right?
so what is suspicious?
Places known for prostitution bring in dirtbags. Cops got to get a handle on the prostitution problem.
love to you. A few years ago i was walking home drunk at 2 am on 24th st and alabama and someone came from behind and put his hand around my mouth. I screamed bloody murder and he ran.
The man who raped a women on South Van Ness last year also raped a woman on Fair Oaks.
South Van has a problem with prostitutes while Fair Oaks does not.
I don’t feel this is because of prostitution…it is about a couple of SOBS that assaulted a woman which was trying to go home safely.
The police did a great job on locating the person in the case that I mentioned.
Anyone with video cameras on their homes please review the footage and forward evidence to the police.
This can be solved.
I don’t think the uptick in prostitution is relevant to this sad incident. The man who last year allegedly raped a woman on South Van Ness, which has a prostitution problem, also raped a woman on Fair Oaks which does not have a prostitution problem.
Let’s concentrate on catching these vile men. The police have the case and will do all that they can. They were able to solve the case that I mentioned very quickly. Anyone who resides on Capp and has video security systems should review and forward evidence to the police.
I am totally disgusted that this happened to this woman . I hope someone knows these men and turns them in to pay for this crime . Before anyone else gets hurt or worse.
Thank you for posting this. It is a terrible and scary thing, and I really hope the woman who was attacked will heal mentally, emotionally, and physically. My heart goes out to her and my thoughts are with her.
Readers, please spread word of this to your friends and neighbors. Everyone should be on alert until these hateful criminals are brought to justice.
My heart goes out to the victim, but I’m not sure what to make of this as a criminal matter. Did she go to the police? Can’t tell from this story.
Immediately after I read this, I went to the corner store at 19th and Capp, which I often do, and talked to the proprietor. I told him what I had read here. Though his store would have been closed, there are cameras outside his shop on 19th, and they would have certainly captured images of the perps. He said he needs to know exactly when this happened and he can review the footage. He may have very helpful evidence. I have no way of knowing if the police are investigating this, or if they are, have they also talked to the proprietor? As of 7pm tonight, they obviously had not.
I’m confused about what to do…should I call the police and tell them they should run down this incredibly obvious lead? Or is this not being reported to the police, by the victim’s request?
Hi Andy, Apparently she did file a police report and DNA was also retrieved at the hospital, but no action has been taken at this time (that I am aware of). The victim is a good friend of an acquaintance of mine. If you could contact the dept and let them know about the possibility of camera footage, that would be so very helpful. Thank you. I am also going to pass on your message, to ensure it reaches the victim.
Thanks…did that last night.
Wasn’t sure of best method, so I contacted the SFPD Mission Station tip line (415) 392-2623. Mailbox was full…couldn’t leave a message. Called the non-emergency number (415) 553-0123, and the dispatcher spent 10 minutes looking for any record of the crime being reported. He couldn’t find anything that correlates to the time listed here (he searched for the whole week, actually), so he was unable to act on the information, since it did not pertain to a “crime,” as far as SFPD was concerned.
As a last ditch effort, I wrote to the reporter on this story, asking him to follow up with the guy at the store. I don’t know what else I can do…these cameras cover this area extremely well and may have valuable evidence, but no one can act on it unless there’s an investigation.
not a neighborhood you should be walking home alone at 2 a.m….this was not the young woman’s fault, but the Mission is not a safe neighborhood, so people, please be cautious, don’t drink and walk home alone!
On Dec 3rd 2011…I was about to go inside my house near 25th & Treat when I saw a cute blonde haired girl walk past me at a brisk pace. She saw me but didn’t say anything. I thought nothing of it until I noticed 2 hispanic men walking a moderate distance behind her. Something didn’t feel right…so I stopped and watched them walk towards the intersection. The girl made a right turn and walked out of sight. As the 2 men got to the intersection…I saw them go right as well. This did not feel right at all…so I hurried to that intersection to continue watching. As I got there I saw that they were indeed following her. Then, the girl crossed the street and started walking back towards me. It was obvious she knew she was being followed. I ignored the girl and was sharply focused on the 2 men whom I noticed were watching her and stopped the moment she crossed the road and walked back towards my intersection. As they watched her walk towards the intersection…they both changed directions and walked back as well but as they did that noticed me…as I was staring (correction GLARING) right at the two of them in a subdued pissed-off expression. They continued to walk towards me but stopped watching her and was now looking at me. I did not stop staring at them. The girl at this point had turned south and was briskly walking southbound on Treat. When the 2 guys got to the intersection where I was watching them…they went in the opposite direction as the girl northbound on Treat. I watched them all the way until they reached 24th St and turned left whereby they would no longer be able to find the girl who was long gone. I posted this story on my Facebook on that very night…and bought in bulk a whole bunch of cheap stun guns and decided to give them to all my close girl friends as Xmas gifts. I sincerely hope these weren’t the exact same 2 men prowling the Mission.
The Mission is NOT safe if you’re not paying attention to your surroundings or using good judgement…especially at later hours of the night.
You did a great thing. My daughters home was broken into…wait…not the door was busted down. 3 big gang thug types came in guns drawn. Beat up her and all her roomates. Cops acted like it was her fault. She lived in the Sunset then. now i have her in my house in Glen Park. I was born here..lived here for ever. Its crazy, and I say much worse. I stopped a guy from robbing my nieghbors house on monday. I stopped a cop who was passing by. He wasnt interested at all.
Rueben… you need to call the police TODAY like NOW and give a description of these guys… also post a description on all social media and tag the story of this girls assault.
Mission Police won’t do anything…
I’ve gone in there to complain about a guy who lives at 20th and Mission. This guy has an unregistered gun, that he’s not afraid to let you know he has – when I asked him not to park in my driveway, he told me that if I had his car towed, he’d “f*&*g kill me”…
Right to the Mission Police station I went to file a complaint. The young woman behind the glass told me, “So what – I have people trying to kill me every day”…
And don’t expect David Campos to do anything, either. He’s too busy protecting the rights of the homeless and his non voting countrymen and the like. That’s right, I said it.
F/Y new comers. Join the rest of us in IMPROVING the Mission, for Christ’s sake.
There are 500 people that live within 100 feet of there. Did she scream? Did nobody hear?
I hate to say it. My daughter has gunfire in her house last year. 3 guys busted in the door and came im. She lived in the sunset..so her closet neighbor was 3 inches away. Nobody heard or did a thing.
too bad.
I’m so sorry. This is terrible.
Isn’t this the area that’s seen an increase in prostitution? And I agree that it’s too dark on Capp street. At Capp and 23rd in front of the church, the street light has been out for weeks and even when you call the city to get it fixed and city fixes it , its out within a very short time.