AUSTIN, Texas — Your Mental Health with Dr. Nicole Cross takes a closer look at an alarming pattern of women being randomly attacked by men. There have been 95 unprovoked attacks this year and 50 of the victims were women, according to the latest New York Police Department data.

Since March 2024, 14 women have reported getting punched by strangers, leaving at least one with a broken nose, according to police and city officials.

These random attacks are not only happening in New York City. They are also occurring in other U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago. The question many are asking is why? What would provoke a man to randomly punch a woman in the face?

Psychotherapist and men’s health expert Dr. Brad Thomas spoke with Spectrum News National Mental Health Correspondent Dr. Nicole Cross about possible root causes of this behavior.

“I think men feel entitled in a lot of ways to treat women disrespectfully and also this idea of toxic masculinity. There are all of these gender roles that men are supposed to fit a certain mode or stereotype, and this fuels this idea that they can show up in these aggressive ways that are hurtful and harmful to women without caring about the consequences,” Thomas said.

One out of four women will be the victim of a violent crime, according to the CDC. 

Here are some self-defense tips to stay safe:

• Be aware of your surroundings
• Carry protection
• Keep your cellphone handy
• Consider taking a self-defense class