Woman slugged On NYC Subway

Pregnant Woman Assaulted By Repeated Offender in Queens

By Marsh (Edi) Baptise

Queens, NY – A pregnant woman was violently attacked on a Queens subway train by Christopher Benitez, a 33-year-old man with 16 prior arrests, marking his fourth assault on a female commuter in four months. The attack is part of a growing pattern of violence against women in New York City, where repeat offenders are allowed to walk free despite multiple arrests.

Benitez was arrested again after the assault, but his history suggests that he, like many others, will likely be released with minimal consequences. His previous victims included multiple women who were randomly attacked on public transportation. The city’s revolving-door criminal justice system has allowed him to continue targeting women with impunity.

At the same time, Roosevelt Avenue in Queens has seen a resurgence of open prostitution, attributed to weakened policing and legislative changes that have made enforcement nearly impossible. In recent years, laws such as the repeal of loitering for prostitution statutes have stripped law enforcement of the ability to intervene, leading to an increase in human trafficking and organized sex-based violence.

Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch have acknowledged the issue and attempted to address it, but efforts have been met with resistance from reform advocates pushing for decriminalization. Supporters argue that removing criminal penalties protects marginalized individuals, but in practice, the policy shift has allowed organized crime and pimps to thrive, further endangering women and girls.

Violence against women in New York City is not just rising—it is being enabled. Policies that prioritize offenders over victims, combined with declining enforcement of sex trade laws, have created an environment where predators operate freely. The women paying the price for these failures are not just statistics; they are daily casualties of a system that refuses to protect them.