Danger for women

Press, 21 October 1983, Page 1

Danger for women

An incident in Bryndwr on Wednesday evening, had again underlined the dangers faced by women walking or jogging alone at night in Christchurch, said the police yesterday. A young woman, aged 25, was jogging home from her mother’s house about 9.30 p.m. when she heard footsteps behind her in Aorangi Road. “She thought it was another jogger and moved aside to let him past,” said a C. 1.8. spokesman. But the man, who was about 163 cm (sft 4in) tall, grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her round to face him.

The woman saw what she took to be a knife in his hand. She screamed at the top of her voice and the would-be attacker ran off. He was wearing sandshoes and a “ski-type” mask. After the number of attacks on women in Christchurch recently, including the rape of a young student in Little Hagley Park early last Saturday morning, it was regrettably obvious that women who walked or jogged alone at night were at risk, said a police spokesman. Parks were areas of particular concern, he said.