A young woman was sexually assaulted on Friday night as she put her key into her apartment door on San Jose Avenue at 23rd Street. Although the suspect lifted up her dress and grabbed her backside, she said that “pure rage” took over and she managed to scare him off.
A neighbor heard the screams and called the police who responded quickly, she said. The suspect is still at large, but the neighbor’s security cameras caught the assailant cross the street and head toward the victim.
“The perpetrator was following me down San Jose Avenue and waiting to see where I live,” said Margot Kenney, a 27-year-old who was on her way home after an evening out with three friends. It was about 1 a.m. She had stopped at Los Shucos on 22nd Street near Bartlett to get a hotdog and then headed home.
“It is unclear how long he was following me,” she said.
“I did not see him or have any idea he was there until he was behind me lifting up my dress and grabbing my backside,” she said. “Pure rage took over.”
Kenney said she started yelling as loud as she could and the assailant took off on 23rd Avenue towards Guerrero.
Sofia Keck, the owner of Los Shucos, who happens to live next door to Kenney said that all of her windows were open because of the heat. Earlier in the evening Keck heard some young people outside on the street, but it sounded like they were just having a good time.
When she heard the screams at 1 a.m., she thought someone might be having a fight, but then she recognized her neighbor’s voice and shot downstairs.
She remembered hearing Kenney yell, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“She’s petite and she was yelling, completely defending herself, but when she saw me, she just broke down.”
Kenney said that when the incident occurred anger took over. She remembers calling the assailant a coward. “I went after him down the street.”
Keck said that when she got outside she could see Kenney on the corner.
Kenney, who has lived in the city nine years and on San Jose three years, said the suspect looked “like someone who could have been hanging out at the bars. He was apparently pretending to be on his cell phone, and what bothers me the most is how calmly and deliberately he walked to me.”
She decided to talk to the press, she said, because she’s fed up with the every day harassment of women on the street.
“The amount of attacks against women in the Mission is completely unacceptable,” she wrote in an e-mail. “The police told me that they know who the “troublemakers” in the neighborhood are, so why are they still able to target women and get away with it. I should be able to wear a dress and feel safe in my own neighborhood, in front of my own house.”
I wrote this back in April 2015, months after the attack.
Protect and Serve?
Last October I was followed home and groped as I unlocked my door. I was able to react quickly enough to stop any further sexual assault. That night and in the months following, I have felt alone in my desire for justice and closure. My neighbor sent the responding officers security footage from our cameras, and then I waited. And waited. When a couple of days later I reached back out, I was informed that my case was given to Sargent Yuen with the Special Victims Unit. He had also received the case of another women who was attacked and thrown on the ground by two men the same night. After the initial call with Sargent Yuen, when I clearly laid out my path home, and detailed the businesses that I passed who would likely have security footage I heard nothing. I called the next week and was informed that he was at a “training” It was two weeks since the night I was assaulted until he touched my case. He indignantly told me “Sorry there’s noting I could do sooner, I was at a training. Besides we probably won’t find this guy.” My heart sank. My whole world turned upside down that night, and I was traumatized and fearful. Home didn’t feel safe to me anymore, I had no idea if the guy would come back for more. I felt like the SFPD had given up before they had even tried, when I had given them not only security footage that shows the attack, but an incredible amount of detail. I needed to feel supported, and like they were trying, and on my side, but instead I felt helpless and abandoned. I still do. The way I live in the city I’ve lived in for the past 10 years has completely changed. I am constantly in a state of fear, and the smallest things like cat calls on the way to BART feel terrifying and overwhelming.
Years ago I lived with a boyfriend, and we had a single male neighbor who would yell and bang on the wall when I was home alone. It was terrifying. I was afraid to come home alone and walk past his door. Sometimes it sounded like he would break the wall between us down. Once, when he was having a particularly scary tantrum and I was by myself I called the SFPD and told them that I was afraid for my safety. They took 45 minutes to arrive, and by then my neighbor had left. They told me that they couldn’t do anything until he harmed me. Frustrated, I asked them if I had to be in a body bag for them to take action. Now i’m not sure if that would even do anything in that scenario. The SFPD does not protect or defend women in San Francisco.
The SFPD does not protect or defend women in San Francisco. More and more women are being attacked, and men are getting away with these crimes because our police force simply does not care. Since October I have felt alone and helpless, but I realize that I have a voice. And I am mad as hell. I want to be defended. I want my sisters in the city I love to feel safe. I don’t want to feel the need to take a cab home when I have dinner 3 blocks away. I want to take back the night. Who’s with me?
Home owners need to invest and security cameras and point them on the street. We must defend ourselves out there somehow.
Can you share any descriptions of these dangerous attackers, or at least refer us to the police reports? It sounds like they are all still at large. Hopefully the victims were able see the attackers well enough.
I live around the corner from where this happened and ever since that gas station at 23rd and Valencia closed there have been numerous incidents on this stretch of San Jose Ave. due to the poor lighting at night. Scott Wiener, are you listening? I’m not really welcoming of new condo development in the neighborhood, but they can’t build something in that lot fast enough in my opinion.
Great how she gets grabbed on the ass and there’s news on her. I get taken into a car by four assailants, pistol whipped, left on the pavement, in the same neighborhood, and there’s not even a peep. I can even see my garage in the video. I’m glad she got away safely. The police do nothing.
Michael: I’m so sorry about your experience. It must have been traumatic and we would have written about it had we known. People tend to stay quiet about these incidents and so they stay out of the news. We are at info@missionlocal.com. Best, Lydia
This young woman did an excellent job and I am glad she is safe! While fighting back is always a personal choice, we do know women who fight back are able to thwart the attack in the majority of sexual assault attempts. Additionally, making noise or going to a well lit, populated area takes away the privacy these creeps want/need to commit this type of crime. I am aware of cases where screaming alone was dismissed by those who heard it. On the other hand, we receive a lot of 911 calls when someone hears a woman yelling “Stop!” or “No!” Remember to always pay attention to your surroundings. Stay Safe…
If you are interested, we offer free safety tips on FB: Artemis Self Defense and on the web: Artemis4women.com
Last year, Saturday night of Pride weekend, my next door neighbor was assaulted by a guy following her in a car, jumping out and slashing her bag off of her at about 10:30 pm at night. This happened in front of our house on Alvarado at Guerrero. A police report was filed but nothing happened. I also reported it to Scott Weiner in an attempt to get him to put pressure on SFPD to beef up patrols. Got a “so sorry” from him…nothing more. I believe we as women need to unite am “take back the night” from our neighborhood. Margot, I’m glad your situation ended safely.
Self defense classes ladies…
Margot Kenney, you are my new hero! I hope you are okay, and I’m glad you scared the guy off. I’m also glad you have such awesome neighbors.
imon, do you know if that woman called the police and/or filed a police report?
It sucks that women have to worry about/deal with such awfulness in our everyday lives.
I’m the woman from the other attack imon’s housemate heard. The police came and took a report.
There was a similar attack around 2:30am last night on Bartlett St. between 24th and 25th. My housemate called 911 after hearing a woman scream. The screaming woman had been pushed to the ground by 2 men, and at least one grabbed at her crotch. She was able to fight back enough that the men ran off and departed in a metallic sedan. We need to all watch our neighbors’ backs until these a-holes are caught and tossed in jail.
I’m the woman who was attacked on Bartlett. Imon, please thank your housemate for helping me and calling the police. I did wonder if anyone but me did…
Hillary, so sorry this happened to you and wishing you the very best.
Hi Lydia, can we use your video on our newscast for NBC Bay Area? Thanks in advance!
Good for you. I was assaulted one morning by two guys while on my way to 24th Street Bart, on S. Van Ness between 25th and 24th. Wearing headphones and oblivious. Have never worn headphones in public again.
Margot, you’re a woman of courage. I applaud you!
riveting footage
Margot, thank you for your bravery. I’m glad you could access your anger & I’m glad you are safe.