“They were horrific injuries. Anyone that loses consciousness is at risk of losing their life,” he said. “So we take it serious[ly].”
Police are combing the area for the weapon and have increased patrols,but recommend that people stay in pairs when running while the investigation is ongoing.
On Sunday,Austin posted on social media that she had been cleared to return home but was still in shock and nursing a “massive throbbing headache”.
“Women should be able to safely go for a f---ing run in this colony,” she wrote.
Police said the offender appeared to be a Caucasian male who was wearing black jeans,a cap and no shoes or shirt at the time of the assault.
Austin was one of the inaugural members of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and was a Greens Senate candidate in the 2022 election.
Austin told the ABC she felt she had lost her safe place and that it would take her some time before she could return to the area.
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“That place is my safe,go-to place,” she said. “I feel like I’m[now] grieving that place.”
Allan Ball,national director of anti-violence advocacy group White Ribbon Australia,said incidents such as these were horrendous and that perpetrators had to be held accountable in a meaningful way if anything was to change.
“Instead of framing it as women need to protect themselves,the focus should be on holding those perpetrators to account for their actions and behaviours,” Ball said.
“Anyone should be able to go about as they feel safely. Simply being part of their local community shouldn’t impact them ... just because somebody has taken the opportunity to hurt,harm or cause abuse.”
The attack on Austin follows a number of similar attacks across Australia over the past few years.
In December,a woman was grabbed andpulled to the ground while jogging in Sydney’s west.
Six months ago,West Australian police investigated the sexual assault of a woman who wasgrabbed by a man during her morning run in Broome.
In July 2021,another woman wasattacked by a stranger during her run in Perth. The man was caught and sentenced to two years and four months in prison.
Ball said gendered power imbalances and a growing culture of disrespect contributed towards these types of incidents,two things that need to be addressed regardless of the discomfort they might cause.
According to Ball,certain offenders – who are disproportionately male – feel entitled to assert their dominance over women during moments of perceived vulnerability,such as going for a run or waiting for a taxi.
“All of us have the responsibility to shift our attitudes,rethink gendered stereotypes and power structures that perpetuate violence,” he said.
“We also need to promote a culture that tolerates respect and that puts other people’s needs before oneself. So disrespect,sexual harassment,violence against women,these opportunistic assaults against women going about their everyday lives,it needs to stop. Enough is enough.”
Our Watch chief executive,Patty Kinnersly,said violence against women was a problem of epidemic proportions in Australia and that preventing it was everyone’s responsibility,including within the workplace,the media and in public spaces.
“Violence against women occurs where attitudes and behaviours do not value women as equal … This needs to change,” she said.
“Inequality is at the heart of the problem and therefore equality must be at the heart of the solution.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with dashcam footage or CCTV is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log ontowww.crimestoppersvic.com.au
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault,family or domestic violence,call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visitwww.1800RESPECT.org.au.
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