Metro rape reports “got lost in the shuffle”

I take the Washington, DC, metro to and from work every weekday, so I have general and personal outrage over this report from the Washington Post:

“There have been four rapes on Metro property this year, up from one last year, but unlike assaults reported elsewhere in the Washington area, at least two of the crimes were not immediately made public.

Metro officials gave differing accounts of why the public was not informed about the crimes. Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato said on Tuesday that the police deliberately withheld information on two assaults that occurred in the parking garage of Largo Town Center in February as they searched for suspects. However, Peter Benjamin, chairman of Metro’s board of directors, said information on the attacks “got lost in the shuffle” during the February snowstorms.”

Once there is a report, how hard is it to notify the public so they can take necessary precautions/be aware of potential threats in that area?

HollaBack DC! just wrapped up Public Transit Awareness Month in March and they have more to say on this disappointing news story.