XPost: co.politics, talk.rape, alt.society.homeless
XPost: sac.politics, alt.politics.usa.republican
Thank Democrats for America's homeless problem.
A Colorado woman said she's lucky to be alive after being choked from
behind, dragged by a rope into the woods and sexually assaulted in a
public park Wednesday in a shocking daytime attack.
Vanessa Ursini, 29, said she was walking her dog along the Platte
River Trail in Littleton, Colorado, when a man -- whom she now
believes was stalking her -- came up behind her with a rope and began
choking her, dragging her into the nearby woods.
Ursini said the man bound her ankles and wrists and took off most of
her clothes.
“I fought like hell and screamed my brains out,” Ursini said, adding
her dog tried to fight off her attacker, too. But eventually, she said
he threatened to kill her if she didn’t stop screaming – so she did.
During the scuffle, Ursini had knocked the man’s glasses off, and as
he looked for them, she managed to untie the restraint around her
ankles without him noticing. She took off running until she reached a
nearby bike path where people came to her aid, KUSA-TV reported.
Littleton Police arrested a 48-year-old man after a group of cyclists
believed they spotted the suspect, and chased and cornered him until
officers arrived. Johnny Dewayne Harris, who is believed to be
homeless, was being held Friday at the Arapahoe County Detention
Center.
Harris has been charged with sexual assault and kidnapping, Littleton
police said. At the time of the woman's assault, Harris already had
warrants out for his arrest, including two for sex-related crimes in
Denver, Cmdr. Trent Cooper said during a news conference.
Harris, who is on the sex offender registry in Texas, was sentenced to
15 years in prison in 1999 for sexually assaulting a teenage girl,
according to KUSA.
Though sexual assault victims are not typically identified in the
press, Ursini came forward with her story, and also shared graphic
photos of her injuries on Facebook. The chilling images showed marks
along her neck, chest and eyes. The post had been shared more than
40,000 times as of Friday morning.
“I’m not a victim. I survived. I won’t let him win.”
- Vanessa Ursini
“This was the worst day of my life but I knew I had to fight, it
simply wasn’t my time to die,” Ursini said.
In telling her story, Ursini said she wants to remind people to be
aware of their surroundings. She said she had seen the man along the
trail the day before and earlier on the day of the assault.
“Even if you have been on your local path, your grocery store parking
lot, or anywhere 100 times, danger can exist anywhere,” she said. “I
am lucky to be alive, so please have a plan in place to protect
yourself from whatever may be out there.”
Ursini is a Pilates instructor, works in the restaurant industry and
is not set to receive health insurance until next month, according to
a GoFundMe page set up in her name. As of Friday morning, nearly
$13,000 had been donated to help with medical bills and other
expenses.
Ursini told KCNC-TV: "I'm not a victim. I survived. I won't let him
win."
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/27/colorado-woman-shares-graphic-photos-after-horrifying-daytime-sex-assault-in-public-park.html
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