People do not want to get involved with the police, as witnesses or otherwise. There is no situation so dismal that the presence of the police can't make worse. In apprehending the rapist, they would shoot the victim and 20 innocent bystanders. We just saw that in NYC a week or so ago.

The thing to do is to yell at the top of your lungs: "FIRE! HELP! FIRE!" over and over. People love Firemen. They will call the Fire Department in a heartbeat. And Firemen would beat the shit out of a rapist with a 20-lb brass fire hose nozzle, then back over him with a 40-ton hook and ladder.

=P