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Originally posted: http://www.themarysue.com/real-life-superheroes-long-island-serial-killer/
By Jamie Frevele

If you’ve been following the news lately (maybe only in the New York area), you might have heard about the Long Island Serial Killer who has been killing sex workers who advertise on Craig’s List. Human remains have been found on Long Island beaches, and up to 10 women appear to have been murdered by this killer. Predictably and sadly, not everyone has a lot of sympathy for these women because of the line of work they’ve chosen, and some believe that the cops aren’t taking the case very seriously. A group of real-life superheroes in New York, calling themselves the New York Initiative, think that’s wrong, and they are out to teach potential victims how to protect themselves and help find this killer.
The New York Initiative is made up of martial arts and weapons experts, none of whom are affiliated with law enforcement. They posted their own advertisement on Craig’s List recently, offering up what they believe the cops won’t: protection from becoming another victim.

The Long Island Killer is out there. He’s a scary bastard, and it’s starting to seem like he is focusing on you pretty ladies because some people are slower to report you missing, and also because apparently the law doesn’t respect your personal choices and that means cops are slower to follow through when it comes to you. Well, I’m here to say F*CK THAT. We respect you as human beings, we believe in personal freedoms and think that you’re doing something that is absolutely your choice to do.
So rock on, ladies…We are on your side. With that said, we are here to help.

In addition to offering martial arts and improvised weapons training for self-defense (free of charge), the NYI also provided advice on how women can better cover their bases when they are on the job. Sort of a “buddy system,” in which they inform a friend of where they’re going, when they’re leaving and expect to be back, and touching base with updates so everyone knows things are going as planned. The NYI also offers their own “log book” as well as a number to call when a date might become violent and/or dangerous. They promise to be on standby if assistance is needed. And despite their opinion of law enforcement, the NYI isn’t blind to what has to be done:

[W]e won’t involve law enforcement unless you are in serious danger. The logs will be kept personal and private, because what do the police need to know about your personal life, right? It’s just a date, for cryin’ out loud.

The NYI is not brand new, and they’ve even been featured in the documentary Superheros by Michael Barnett. Among their aliases are Dark Guardian, Blindside, and Skinner. They’re hoping this message will be spread far and wide so anyone who might need it will have the option for protection and education, and that eventually, this killer will be stopped.
(Top pic via NYI on Facebook, story via Tiny Nibbles, which is NSFW, but ultimately via Cindy)

Originally posted:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1379952/Now-superheroes-step-help-protect-prostitutes-Craigslist-killer.html#ixzz1KaKAQTgU
By Daily Mail Reporter

Self-styled superheroes have offered their help in fighting the serial killer thought to be behind the murders of over a dozen prostitutes in New York City.
The New York Initiative (NYI) – a group of vigilantes who model themselves on comic book superheroes – have posted an advert on classified ads website Craigslist offering ‘rescue teams’ for hookers whose clients’ turn violent.
NYI, who identify themselves as a group of ‘martial arts trainers, security specialists, emergency first responders, drug counsellors, former military police and former law enforcement’, are also offering free martial arts and weapons training to the women.
The murderer stalking New York – dubbed the Craiglist Killer because he targets women selling sex through Craigslist – is thought to be behind the deaths up to 13 prostitutes.
Most of the bodies so far found had been dumped in scrub land on the southern coast of Long Island, New York. All had been strangled and stuffed in burlap sacks.
According to their advert, NYI have offered their help to prostitutes because ‘apparently the law doesn’t respect your personal choices and that means cops are slower to follow through when it comes to you.’
The group is offering ‘a number to call and a few one-number or one-word codes you can say or text to us so that we can contact someone to assist you with a possibly violent date.’
They add: ‘We will react quickly and without hesitation every time, using our considerable contacts to the full extent of their reach.’ And they promise not to involve the police unless there is a risk of ‘serious danger’.
The New York Initiative patrol the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan by night, attempting to deter crime.
Though they are loosely affiliated with the so-called Real Life Superheroes, unlike their more colourfully-dressed counterparts they tend not to wear masks and capes.

According to their website the group is composed of 11 members, with roles ranging from medic to combat specialist.
‘Our primary goal will always be to help those in the most need to the highest ethical standard and to the maximum effect,’ they say.
The ‘Craigslist ripper’ case started in December after the disappearance of 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert, a New Jersey prostitute who advertised on the site.
Although her body has not been found, the remains of 10 others have so far been uncovered with Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and  Megan Waterman, 22, the only identified victims so far.
Detectives have also investigated the possibility that the same serial killer may also be responsible for the deaths of  four prostitutes in Atlantic city in 2006.
New York detectives have begun to piece together a picture of the Craigslist killer.
According to experts, the man police are looking for is a white male in his mid 20’s to mid 40’s,  financially secure, well spoken and drives a nice car or truck.
Able to charm his victims into a false sense of security, he will also have access to burlap sacks as part of his job and will have been treated for poison ivy infections received as he disposed of the bodies in thick undergrowth.

NYC Patrol 07/31/2010 – by Dark Guardian

Met up with Thre3, Life, Blindside, Tothian, Shade, Smaratin and Cameraman. We met at Washington Square Park. Good Morning Japan came out for part of the patrol. They were very friendly and I am looking forward to seeing the finished news piece which will be released exclusively on www.RealLifeSuperheroes.org .

We patrolled around the park veering through the side streets. Drug dealing in Washington Square Park has been tamed down. If there is dealing goign on it is a very small amount of people and there seems to be no hard drugs. We worked our way up to Union Square Park. We helped a lot of people on the way. Life and Cameraman brought a great deal of supplies to give out. We handed out food, water, socks, shirts, tooth brushes, vitamins, razors, and more neccesities. We stopped and talk to different people as we patrolled the streets telling them about what we do. A couple people were interested in possibly doing it themselves. Nothing too exciting happened just an average patrol. Made sure some guy on heroine was doing ok on the streets. Stopping some guy from climbing over a park fence. We found a lot of homeless people staying in Union Square Park. We wound up running out of supplies. Now we know where a lot of the homeless are staying so we can go back and give aid to them. Tothian and Samaritan did a bike patrol after the group split up.