Description of woman's attacker issued
Whitehorse RCMP are seeking the public's assistance in a sexual assault investigation.
Whitehorse RCMP are seeking the public's assistance in a sexual assault investigation.
The assault was reported to police on Tuesday evening.
The victim reported she was attacked at the Teegatha'Oh Zheh Park near the end of Main Street at about 11 p.m. on Monday.
She said she had been walking home when she was attacked by a male who punched her, then threw her to the ground and assaulted her. She does not know her attacker.
The assailant is described as having long, dark hair and wearing a grey bandana and blue jeans. He has a slim face with facial stubble.
The victim and police are working together to further refine the description and identify potential suspects.
Const. Christine Grant said this is the first incident reported to the police involving a suspect of this description.
"And especially something of this nature,” she told the Star early this afternoon.
"This is not something that generally occurs in Whitehorse, to be honest. We certainly have crimes that happen, but something like this which is so random and so disturbing, because it's just someone out walking home and then are attacked, and it certainly has got to make women in town feel very vulnerable,” she said.
In cases where an assailant is unknown, it's important for the public to know of a potential risk so they can take whatever steps they're comfortable with to enhance their own safety, an RCMP news release said.
But the police are not making any specific recommendations to the public because, as Grant noted, "This isn't this person's fault.
"You should be able to walk around in town and be safe. I mean, this is Whitehorse, for heaven's sake.”
The Victoria Faulkner Women's Centre is reminding the public that even though 92 per cent of sexual assault victims know their assailants, sexualized assaults of this nature do occur.
Women needing support are encouraged to call the centre's women's advocate at 667-2693 or Kaushee's Place's 24-hour crisis line at 668-5733.
Friends, family members and other resource people can support any woman who reports a sexual assault by reminding them of their strength, honouring their resistance, and respecting their wishes.
The women's centre also encourages the assailant to turn himself in, and urges all members of the public to help keep the community safe by reporting any information to the RCMP.
Anyone with knowledge about last night's attack is asked to contact the police as soon as possible at 667-5551.
Comments (6)
Up 15 Down 3
north_of_60 on Sep 28, 2013 at 10:25 am
What J.W. described IS the root cause of most of the violent social problems in Whitehorse.
V.H.'s rambling, PC bafflegab merely reinforces the truth of what J.W. said. It's nothing but lame excuses, and exemplifies why the problem continues to grow.
Pandering to violent criminals enables and encourages them to act with impunity.
Up 10 Down 3
Josey Wales on Sep 27, 2013 at 11:48 am
Hey Arn, your damn right I would!
Arn my loathing of humans whom predate other humans, includes the "whitey" you refer.
Up 9 Down 23
Vance Hutchinson on Sep 27, 2013 at 4:26 am
@JoseyWales, (note that your use of a fictional character name is quite pathetic, not to mention that character's redeeming value was protecting those that couldn't protect themselves, especially people who have had their land and rights taken from them by force; ironic, no?)
if you don't care about the root causes, please desist. If this is your notion of a solution then we should stop any PSAs that attempt to reduce the root causes of crimes like sexual assault, drunk driving, etc... as dealing with the root causes is, according to you, less important than just hucking someone into jail. No need to work on prevention if post-hoc punishment is the solution. Hey, we all know that sentencing is a great deterrent to future crime, right? Great idea except that remainder of your statement claims that the penal system is no good as neither the police nor the crown are capable of real punishment. Thus, your bleating (a very apt description of useless whining) is off base and racist to a fault. Your longing for a past that doesn't exist is ridiculous and completely free of any hint of a solution or positive step forward.
Dealing with the crime specifically is crucial and I do not condone reduced sentencing for most mitigating circumstances, this one included. However, your creation of the details does not make your fictional account real. So, other than you inventing a time machine to go back to your non-existent past, what have you offered? Whining. This helps neither the victim of this specific crime nor any future victims. If you want change, actually do something useful. You don't like the windbags? Run for office. Don't like the crown? Pass the bar and become a prosecutor or a judge. First of all, though, you might spend some time doing some research into this issue in other cities and countries. You'd quickly see we are neither unique nor special in this regard. You also may realize, if you actually read and synthesize some of the information, that in fact, dealing with the root causes of crime is really quite important for maintaining a safer community.
Up 9 Down 12
Arn Anderson on Sep 26, 2013 at 11:39 am
I wonder if Josey Wales would of put together this rant if the perp was described with blonde hair and blue eyes? Apparently hair colour is all you need to describe past human behavior.
Up 17 Down 12
Jackie Ward on Sep 26, 2013 at 5:08 am
Very well said.
Up 43 Down 19
Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Hmmm...so yet another person has to deal with being a REAL victim of crime and violence in our very veeeeeeeeeery much enabling territory/town sty.
about as mind blowing of a surprise as the leaves changing colours in Sept.
I personally give not a rats ass re:root causes, but more on the action/responsibility of the "alleged" perpetrator of said alleged crime.
even with the virtually ZERO info we do have with this...please allow me to speculate (I'll eat crow later if required)...
The perp has a long history with out turnstiles of laughable justice...the perp came from a history of abuse and booze...the perp has had difficulty adjusting to the 21st century and hates those referred to as colonial invaders...the perp was recently patted on the bum and asked not to breach the usual conditions...and yet my favorite...the perp was "just starting" to turn their life around. With of course an army of agents to wipe their chin and fluff their pillows at night.
The victim in this alleged crime?
She will get the very basic of help and it will not be 24/7/365...she will NEVER feel safe in this sty full of pariahs...never be allowed to arm and defend herself from the likes of this scumbag (alleged).
This scenario is what I've been bleating on for years with frontline folks cops AND windbag politicians. OUR city is not a safe one as just a few years back, why?
Well our PC enabling Crown can assume the 2nd prize after the pariahs for perpetuating this cycle of lunacy.
Our governments? At all levels if they put as much effort into public safety as they do in Political Correctness...we'd all be able to leave our wallets/purses stuffed full of cash on the dash...park on main and STILL have it when we returned!
Some of our RCMP do try to do their jobs, I assume with a heavy heaaaavy dose of political interference...and NOT from Ottawa either but right here in the new TO, formerly known as Whitehorse.
America's 2nd? When seconds count, the police are at least 30 minutes away.
Folks we ARE on our own here, Crown cares not...our city politicians?
Waaaaay to distracted with a MYRIAD of special interest groups demanding wealth re-distribution via tax leeching.
They (CoW) have what they feel are their assets well secured and monitored, when they really are OUR assets!
I guess OUR neighborhoods are not assets?
There was a time in history when a community WAS an asset, perhaps a re-visit to a simpler time is needed?