A Keep Women Safe Walk is being held in Hamilton this weekend

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Published August 17, 2022 at 11:52 am

A walk is being held in Hamilton this weekend, as part for a call for improved safety measures along the hundreds of kilometres of trails in the city.

This Sunday (Aug. 21), a Keep Women Safe Walk is being held on the Chedoke Radial Trail, starting at 10 a.m. from the parking lot in Scenic Park. The walk has been organized in the wake of an unprovoked stranger assault that happened on a weekday morning along a trail on Hamilton Mountain, where a woman was pulled away by an assailant before passers-by intervened. Hamilton Police have said they are “also aware of several incidents that have occurred on Hamilton trails since June.

Organizers say that investments in cameras at entry points, or police patrolling trails (where the only motorized transportation allowed are City of Hamilton vehicles), are necessary to protect women who are using the trails for mental and physical wellness.

“Gather your girls and mark this on your calendars,” organizers wrote in a recent social media post. Let’s protect women on our trails. Women are being assaulted and attacked on our local trails. We should feel as safe as everyone else. Let’s create awareness and make a statement to our city and our Police Service that more must be done to protect women in our city, whether it’s installing cameras at entry points or having police presence on our trails

The assault suspect in the attack on July 13, five weeks ago today, has yet to be identified. The attack occurred near Upper Paradise Rd. and Donnici Dr., and Hamilton Police have said they believe the suspect might be a current student or recent graduate from a high school in that area of Hamilton.

“Staff and students at local high schools are encouraged to review the image and contact investigators if they recognize him,” the police said on Monday.

In Hamilton, confidential support for sexual violence survivors is avaiable through the Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour support line (905-525-4162, or online at sacha.ca) or the Hamilton Health Sciences sexual assault/intimate-partner violence care centre at hhsc.ca/sadv.

Further, someone who is not ready to report their sexual assault but who is seeking support can contact Hamilton Police Victim Services (905-546-4904).

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