Woman walking through Back Bay Fens is assaulted
3 suspects sought; pedestrians are warned about area
Boston police are stepping up patrols in the Back Bay Fens after a woman said she was sexually assaulted there early yesterday.
Around 12:30 a.m., three men approached a woman walking along Agassiz Road, which bisects the Fens. She was passing the men when one stepped in front of her and started speaking to her.
The woman said she tried to ignore the men, but one of them knocked her down, dragged her into a bushy area, and sexually assaulted her, said James Kenneally, a Police Department spokesman.
The woman said the men fled toward Park Drive after the assault.
The woman’s name was not released.
Kenneally encouraged people walking in the area to be mindful of their surroundings.
“Any time of day, especially at night, women in particular, are encouraged not to walk alone,’’ he said. “Walk in pairs. When possible, walk with friends if you can. Remain in well-lit areas and well-populated areas.’’
The Back Bay Fens, which is bordered by the Museum of Fine Arts and Northeastern University, has long been a trouble spot in the Fenway neighborhood.
Kenneally said “quality-of-life issues’’ have been a problem in the Fens for many years. He said Boston police will increase patrols in the area
Nearby colleges, including Northeastern University, warn students about the Fens. A Northeastern University police officer said last night in a brief phone interview that the school has programs to teach students how to be safe in their urban environment.
The Boston Police Department, in a statement issued yesterday, warned people to avoid distractions, such as using portable music players.
Police also advised people to call ahead when they are going somewhere, so someone will know where they are. When people think someone might be following them, they should switch direction, cross the street, or walk into the nearest store or restaurant, police said.
Many students and residents are cautious about the Back Bay Fens, a long green stretch of ballfields and gardens, with an area of tall grass. Nichole Connolly, 23, regularly walks across the Fens. She said she avoids sending text messages or talking on the phone when crossing the area.
“I stay close to the road, not by the garden,’’ she said. “You never know who would be lurking behind large trees in the garden.’’
Melinda Falk, 25, and her boyfriend, Ed Rabin, 23, who were walking by the Fenway Rose Garden said they avoid the Fens at night.
“We make a point of walking around the park,’’ said Falk. “It doesn’t take much longer.’’
Allen Arsenau, 37, of Randolph, who was near the Fens rose garden yesterday, said that when he was 16 and attending a summer camp in Boston, he was accosted by a man. Kenneally said that police are usually visible in the Fens, but last month a gay rights group complained to the Globe that the police presence was oppressive, calling it a civil rights issue. The tall reeds in part of the Fens have long been a rendezvous spot for gay men.
Police request that anyone who may have been in the vicinity at the time contact the Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400.
Globe correspondents Julie Balise and Adam J.V. Sell contributed to this report. John M. Guilfoil can be reached at jguilfoil@globe.com. 