KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Women are arming themselves with protection after two rapes in the past two weeks in Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood.
In a mostly empty evening seminar Tuesday night, Laurrine Greensberg had no trouble paying attention. This was about her personal safety. She is hungry for tips.
“My son lives in the Waldo area and we heard about the rapes and we were very concerned,” Greensberg said. “It’s scary.”
Police do not have much of a suspect description. In both cases, the man intruded on sleeping women inside their homes at night.
“It made us a little leery or it made me leery,” Greensberg. “Even though I’m married and have a male in the house, it’s still worrisome.”
“I lived in Waldo for over a decade and I was there last night,” said Tracey Hawkins, a safety trainer.
Hawkins sells safety tips for a living. She organized a safety seminar at the plaza library. Only six people signed up. Hawkins said her seminars are not well-attended until something tragic.
So, Hawkins urges women in the area to create a safety plan and know exactly how you would react.
“You always need to think, ‘what if,’” Hawkins said. “Don’t let it paralyze you to point that you’re paranoid, but it should always be in the back of your mind.”
Police urge Waldo residents to lock all doors and windows. Also, they said look out for suspicious activity, such as anyone appearing to case the area.
