The victim of a New York City subway attack in September said she was inspired by singer Gwen Stefani when she miraculously picked herself up from the train tracks after being assaulted.
The anonymous 22-year-old Brooklynite told FOX 5 New York on Friday that she was punched by a random man after getting off a train at the Crown Heights train station Sept. 19. The assailant then allegedly pushed her onto the tracks.
The victim says that while she was laying down, she was able to pull herself up by remembering that she pulled herself on stage at several Gwen Stefani concerts. At a recent show in Las Vegas, the stage was approximately the same height as the subway platform.
"It's because Gwen's called me on stage so many times," the young woman said. "That's why my body knew what to do."
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Despite her injuries, the woman got back on the train platform and ran out of the station. The victim also said that she suffers from nightmares from the attack.
"Being in the tracks, that's what gives me nightmares," she said. "That was the most scary thing of my life."
New York police said that the suspect ran away after stealing the young woman's phone. The crime is still being investigated.
While the victim has started using the subway for commuting again, she says that she still feels uneasy about it.
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"I just think everybody that looks at me is gonna hurt me," the woman said. "That’s what's changed about me, I don’t trust anyone anymore. I think everyone's going to hurt me now."
Violent crime in New York City's subway system has skyrocketed in the past few years. New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a plan to fund 1,200 additional overtime shifts per day for police officers to patrol the stations.
"My number one priority as Governor is keeping New Yorkers safe in the streets, in their homes, in their schools, and on the subway, and we will do whatever it takes to make our subways safer for riders," Hochul said on Saturday.
Additionally, a 32-year-old man was shoved by an unknown assailant at a subway stop in Brooklyn Friday. The victim sustained physical injuries from the random attack.
