A MARCH to “take back the night” attended by up to 150 people last Saturday (29 April) was aimed at letting a distressed Seaford woman that “she is not alone”.
“We can’t change her life but I feel we helped her life,” Seaford Night March organiser Emmaline Jones said, referring to a 19-year-old attacked and sexually assaulted as she walked home from Seaford station, 3.10am, Saturday 1 April.
The march started at the station and continued along Railway Parade to mirror the route the woman took before being attacked near Seaford North Reserve.
Ms Jones, speaking alongside the march’s co-organiser Lana Nicholson, said support by both men and women was “fantastic”.
“We had originally hoped for about 30 people to turn up but, in the end, we had about 150,” she said.
The catalyst for the march was derogatory social media comment criticising the woman for walking home alone at that time of the morning.
“The victim was being blamed but I thought: ‘Where is the witch-hunt for him?’” Ms Jones said.
“We originally planned to meet at 3am and say ‘here we are’.”
But, once out on social media, the rally’s cause generated a huge tide of support and confirmed community views on the woman’s “basic human right” to walk home alone whenever she liked.
Ms Jones, who has three daughters and admits to being “passionate” about women’s safety, said: “Those terrible events changed the course of that woman’s life and that didn’t sit well with me.
“At the end of the day, we all have the right to walk anywhere at any time without men like him attacking us – in fact he doesn’t deserve the right to be called a man. Someone knows him and they should notify police.”
Ms Jones said she had a “few ideas” about improving women’s safety, which may even involve self-defence classes.
“Yes we need to equip ourselves but we should really be pointing the finger at men who attack women.”
Police set up an information caravan at Seaford the day before in an attempt to glean information about the man.
He is described as having a tanned complexion with brown hair, thin build and an Australian accent. He was wearing jeans with a belt and a dark coloured t-shirt. He has a distinctive mole on the left side of his cheek or chin and small teeth.
The victim’s black jeans and a Nike runner were left at the scene and police are keen to speak to anyone living nearby who may have seen items of clothing.
Detective Sergeant Rodney Neylan is calling on the attacker to come forward.
“I appeal to the conscience of the man to make contact with us,” he said.
“We are gathering evidence which is being analysed so it’s only a matter of time before we identify him and knock on his door.”
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report to crimestoppersvic.com.au online.
