Charlotte Golar Richie Speaks at North End’s Copp’s Hill Terrace to Highlight Violence Against Women in Boston Neighborhoods

Raising the profile issue of assaults against women in Boston neighborhoods, mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie held a public event in the North End on Wednesday at Slide Park on Copp’s Hill Terrace. Standing with the North End’s State Rep. Aaron Michlewtiz, Richie spoke about violence in neighborhoods with a focus on community policing, gun control and public safety technology. The candidate noted that several assaults against women have taken place in the North End as well as recent high profile incidents in “hot spots” around Boston.

We need to do more to protect women in our city. It is unacceptable that non-fatal gun violence against women has doubled from 5 last year to 11 this year. We need to do more to fight violence in every neighborhood of our city starting with a consistent plan to get guns off our street.

The mayoral candidate also did a walk through of known “hot spots” around the North End with State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-North End, South End) who also spoke about violence against women at the event:

For far too long, women in neighborhoods like this one have become all too familiar with the heinous and vicious attacks on innocent victims. Every time we hear of another woman being assaulted in our neighborhoods, the reality truly hits too close to home. Many times these women are just coming home from working at a restaurant, going out for a jog, or walking home after a late night out.  We need a Mayor who is not afraid to confront these issues head on and knows exactly what it is like to walk in those shoes.

As part of a plan to increase police visibility, Richie suggested renaming the Boston Police Academy to the Boston Community Police Training Academy. Technology is also part of her proposal using DNA tracking systems, Bullet Trax and communication through social media outlets.

“I will take a zero tolerance approach to violence against women in all categories,” says Richie, “those who target women to assault and rape, human traffickers who target young girls and boys. There will be no tolerance for any of those criminals within the city of Boston, or for those who come into the city of Boston to commit those crimes.”

The candidate also addressed gang violence, especially those targeting perpetrators assaulting women and children, including domestic violence offenders and human traffickers.

Among other recommendations, Richie suggested:

• Increase community policing to strengthen ties with police, get more police on the street, and have greater visibility in our neighborhoods
• Creating a high-level position in City government that works across all city departments to better serve and close gaps in services to women and girls
• Working for more state and federal funding and making sure the Violence Against Women Act is fully funded and fully supports the needs of women and girls
• Working to resolve the jurisdiction issues involving city and state police – support for House Bill 3051, an act to provide concurrent police authority for Massachusetts Port Authority
• Working with federal, state, county partners, ex-offender workers, and advocates for victims of crime to ensure the most accountable reentry plan.

My public safety model will encompass the very best public health model,” Richie said, “addressing the underlying issues related to crime and violence through prevention and intervention. I will not forget to include enhanced training, support and resources for law enforcement, to ensure that they are culturally competent and comfortable and equipped to handle sensitive issues of gender and ethnicity and that they have the tools to do so. All of this is about further our policing efforts in the city of Boston.