Burying the Lead

Do you read something and then go back and read it again, because one little line the author tucked in somewhere makes you go "WHAT?!"

That happens to me surprisingly often, as I have a tendency to read things I don't necessarily agree with. It happened again today in an unexpected place: a very short article on how an NYC woman escaped from two people trying to kidnap her for a sex trafficking ring.

I won't really get into my observations that the couple wasn't very smart, since six hours after she was picked up the woman escaped. Call me crazy, but if you're going to subject someone to a long-term stint of forced prostitution, you should probably have not only a plan but a secure location in which to keep your captives. One would think those would top your list of planning items when starting up such an operation.

More to point, however, was a the following single line from the article:
"The woman told police that a man and a woman approached her as she walked on a street near East New York and stuffed her into a car about 2 a.m. Monday, the sources said."

Now granted, I'm not a city girl but am I the only one who's first thought is "What the h*ll was a twenty year old girl doing walking down the streets of Brooklyn at 2 a.m. by herself?"

I know you're never supposed to blame the victim, but seriously. If you were trying to get kidnapped, raped, murdered or otherwise into a compromising situation, doesn't that seem like a great way to advertise such an intent?

Before you go ranting about how women should be able to do what they want when they want let's just remind ourselves that we all live in real life, okay? Do I think the streets everywhere should be safe for whomever wants to be out, whenever? Yes, of course.

But common sense says it doesn't work that way. I appreciate that common sense is out of vogue these days, but seriously? Just a little would go a long way.