Woman sets up signs about rampant prostitution at Rouge Park

DETROIT - It is a public place where children are supposed to play outside but one woman says Rouge Park is more X-rated than family friendly.

FOX 2 witnessed it in broad daylight, it became very clear that people were meeting up and taking their activity to the woods.

One woman who grew up near Rouge Park is saying enough is enough.

"To some people it may not look like much but to me and my friends," Tory Dietiker said. "it's our childhood."

After her father died three years ago, Dietiker says she rides through Rouge Park at least every week as a reminder of her childhood and memories with her dad.

But the 25-year-old says over the years it's become crystal clear that many who enter Detroit's largest park are using it for sex.

"Cars are just stacked on the side of the road with people doing things that shouldn't be done at a park," she said. "A park is made for children not made for you to do sexual acts."

All of it is happening right there in the open. It didn't take long to see the cars parked along the side of the woods and it didn't take long for the men who meet up to see the FOX 2 camera, emerge from the woods and quickly scurry away.

Dietiker claims she witnessed more than she wanted to on Sunday and that was when she decided to create signs.

"I decided to make signs that says 'Our park is for playing not mating' because it's like they don't care," she said. "They just have no shame."

Dietiker propped up her colorful signs right in front of the park and it quickly drew support from neighbors who are very familiar with how things are.

"We have to keep them close by," said Princess Sturdivant. "They can't just walk across the street and run in the field. They can't just walk across the street and go to the park. I don't feel comfortable with them doing it only because only God knows who it is over there and what they are doing."

"I think it was a start of something,” said resident Alamin Morrison. “To let them know we aren't going to just let anyone in our neighborhood destroying our parks doing things they have no business doing."

Detroit police confirm how bad it's become, they patrol busting countless people for the sexual acts, male prostitution and drugs. But the crime keeps coming back.

Just one day after Dietiker put up her signs, someone ripped them down. But this Livonia woman says it's not going to stop her from taking her park back.

"As long as some people saw it, I'll keep doing it," she said. “I don't care. I have no problem trying to help kids who are like me that just want to enjoy this park."

Dietiker would like to see the police and the community work together and hopes others will follow her lead to do something about it.

Some who live in the area say the problem has persisted up to 35 years but many believe it has recently gotten worse.