A longtime resident of Portland’s Bayside neighborhood who says she was the victim of a brutal mugging is warning women not to walk through the area alone without an escort, according to a post shared publicly to her social media profile on Sunday.
The woman, who says she has lived in Bayside for 22 years, said that about three weeks ago she was “mugged,” “jumped,” or “attacked,” adding she didn’t know how best to describe the assault.
“I got blindsided, I don’t remember much and I wasn’t paying attention,” the woman wrote. “It happened near my house. (within a block) People heard me yell for help and I got help quickly.”
Alongside the post she shared pictures of her face showing terrible injuries and bruises, apparently from the assault.
[RELATED: Man Charged With Murder After Shooting in Portland’s Bayside Neighborhood Leaves One Dead…]
The woman said that at least two of her female neighbors were victims of similar attacks in recent weeks and months.
“The day after it happened, I was told it happened to another woman on my street,” she wrote. “She was hit multiple times and thrown to the ground. She ran into a business establishment and the police came.”
“Yesterday I ran into a neighbor and after giving me a hug, she told me the same thing happened to her a couple months ago,” she added.
The 22-year Bayside resident said that she “nowadays it’s not an option” to walk alone in the neighborhood without an escort.
“As much as I shouldn’t HAVE TO get an escort home, nowadays it’s not an option,” she wrote. “And, to be honest, I’m too scared to walk alone.”
“Plz [sic] just be careful and don’t walk alone,” she advised.
In April, the Portland Police Department doubled the the number of officers to four on their dedicated Bayside detail, in response to an uptick in complaints from the neighborhood and after a video showing rampant drug abuse, violence and public indecency outside of a Bayside apartment building went viral.
City Councilor Kate Sykes, former co-chair of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America, described the graphic video as “really hard to watch,” but said it contains “some kind of beautiful moments between human beings there.”
Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois has also been providing regular updates on the crime statistics from the Bayside neighborhood to the City Council’s Health and Human Services and Public Safety Committee.
At the Committee’s meeting last week, Chief Dubois said that Bayside alone has accounted for nearly a third of the city’s arrests and about 40 percent of all overdoses citywide so far this year.
In 2024, year-to-date arrests in the neighborhood total 587 — about 30 percent of the 1,985 total arrests this year citywide, according to Dubois. In October alone, Dubois said there were 45 arrests in Bayside.
The woman’s full social media post can be read below, her identity has been omitted for privacy:
About 3 weeks ago I was (mugged) (jumped) (attacked) I honestly don’t know how best to label it.
The day after it happened, I was told it happened to another woman on my street. She was hit multiple times and thrown to the ground. She ran into a business establishment and the police came.
Yesterday I ran into a neighbor and after giving me a hug, she told me the same thing happened to her a couple months ago. (Only difference is someone and their dog came out of their apartment and scared the attacker off) Her incident was caught on video but the perpetrator was never caught.
After a great deal of thought, I have decided it’s my obligation to my neighbors and other women in Portland to share what happened so others can be extra careful and stay safe.
This is what I want to share. (Plz respect me when I say I don’t want people asking me for more details)
I got blindsided, I don’t remember much and I wasn’t paying attention. It happened near my house. (within a block) People heard me yell for help and I got help quickly.
I have lived in Bayside for 22 years and I think I got too comfortable. I thought I was okay to walk by myself. As much as I shouldn’t HAVE TO get an escort home, nowadays it’s not an option. And, to be honest, I’m too scared to walk alone.
I am okay and extremely grateful it wasn’t worse!! What could have happened is way more scary. I am lucky for the huge amount of love and support I continually get from my family/friends and neighbors.
Plz just be careful and don’t walk alone
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="32572 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=32572">17 Comments
Portland needs a movement like the Guardian Angels to help these poor residents.
Dem policies enable this anarchy
they are getting what they all voted for… i have no pity.
Portland has become yet another leftist failed social experiment.Bayside has always been sketchy and just because you’ve gentrified the area doesn’t mean you got rid of the roaches. I moved out of Portland many years ago and never regretted it. You all voted for it so good luck with that ….
I recently called the police when I was driving by Preble Street to report a bunch of people sitting in a circle on the sidewalk doing drugs. The dispatcher probably had his fill of calls that day, but was actually very rude as though I was bothering him and making stuff up. I have no sympathy for the residents who keep voting for Democratic Libtards to run the city since this attitude trickles down from the top.
For several years now we have not gone to Portland except for business and only during the day. and we advise our tourist friends and clients not to go.
Portland has gone the way of most major Democrat controlled cites.
The Democrats still have not heard the results of the election. They will if they do not walk up
Hard to watch but really beautiful moments. Spoken like a true democrat socialist city councilor. Someday Portlanders will wake up but I guess their city isn’t bad enough yet so good luck with all those beautiful moments.
True face of liberal voter.
OK I get that she wants to let other women know but did any of these women see the attackers is anything being done about this?
Enjoy your diversity, you voted for it.
Very sad state of affairs the leftists of the city have let happen to portland… the surrounding areas will now see the same thing . These people are mentally derrainged, TDS is real! Please wake up liberals!
Start carrying a gun.
I agree with other people, Portland is getting what they voted for !!!! I have ZERO sympathy!!! Enjoy the ride idiots!!
Mills did this to Maine. Resign Mills! You are a failure. When will the thirty children that were murdered under your watch get their day of remembrance?
Where are all those women marching in abortion protest?
Porland used be the diamond of Maine till the migrants came
When Portland was WHITE there was none of this , Then ALL you “MUD LOVERS” bring in every 3rd World Scum Bag and POW ! Violent Crime occurs who would have ever thought it …. Never Turn Your Back on ANYTHING that runs in Packs , Hyenas , Wolves , Feral Dogs , Mexicans Africans …etc.