A Virginia mom says she was left so shaken by an alleged sexual assault on the seashore that she lower off her freshly dyed hair, believing her look might have drawn undesirable consideration.
Windi Harrison, 43, has gone public together with her account of the scary incident at Group Seaside Park in Norfolk, Virginia, hoping her story will make different households extra alert in public areas.
Harrison stated she had been spending a Tuesday afternoon on the sand together with her 5 kids when, at about 5 p.m., two males she didn’t know got here as much as her.
In response to Harrison, one of many males started questioning her about whether or not she was single and if the youngsters together with her have been hers, earlier than he allegedly touched her inappropriately and tried to drag off her bikini high.
The distressed mom stated she was in a position to cease the encounter from escalating and persuaded the boys to depart the realm.
She then rounded up her kids and made her approach to a lifeguard station, the place she was in a position to contact police.
For the reason that ordeal, Harrison says she has change into afraid of being round crowds and responded to the trauma by slicing off her hair.
‘I had simply did my hair coloration and it regarded actually fairly, and I figured perhaps that had one thing to do with it,’ she advised Fox8.
‘I got here residence and I simply hated any a part of me that regarded good,’ Harrison advised the Each day Mail. ‘So I simply regarded within the mirror and chopped all of it off. I threw the bikini within the bin, I used to be simply so upset.
Mother-of-five Windi Harrison tearfully recounted how she was sexually assaulted on the seashore in an incident so traumatic she chopped off her hair afterwards
Police in Norfolk launched these surveillance digicam pictures of the suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his 50s-60s
‘Rationally I do know it’s not my fault however there was a part of me that thought I introduced it on myself, although everyone seems to be sporting a bikini in on the seashore and rationally, I do know it’s not.
‘I had a lot self-confidence, after having 5 kids it took numerous confidence for me to be in a bikini on the seashore and now I’ve zero self-confidence.’
Harrison usually frequents the seashore and stated it’s often a protected spot with loads of oversight.
She was having fun with a time without work from work and stated the 2 males, who she described as an older Hispanic man in his fifties or sixties with a youthful man in his thirties, have been already on the seashore when she arrived.
‘I had simply come up from the water and was laying on my towel, watching my children having enjoyable within the water,’ she defined.
Harrison stated she was approached by the older man, who was carrying a bag of empty beer cans and he assaulted her as she was reaching into her seashore bag.
‘Thank goodness they didn’t witness what had occurred,’ she added. ‘I used to really feel protected however I don’t suppose I can return there for some time.
Harrison stated she has since been struggling to eat and sleep, however praised the assist she has had from the native police.
A photograph of Harrison from June 28 earlier than the assault on Tuesday exhibits her with lengthy, flowing pink hair
The assault occurred at Group Seaside Park in Norfolk, Virginia
‘They’re calling me thrice a day, morning, midday and evening, however as for an replace I’m unsure in the meanwhile,’ she stated.
Harrison stated she determined to talk out about her ordeal in hopes of constructing certain different individuals who expertise sexual assault really feel much less alone.
‘I’m stunned I spoke up, my knee-jerk response was to maintain it to myself,’ she stated. ‘However I nonetheless have a little bit little bit of struggle left. I really feel so violated, nevertheless it’s vital to guard different ladies.
‘So many, many ladies undergo this and don’t say something so if I can, let me be a voice for many who can’t converse up.’
Whereas she stated she has some regret about chopping her hair, Harrison hopes it’ll change into an emblem of her power.
‘I remorse slicing it, however the hair is an effective metaphor for all of this as a result of it’ll develop again and be stronger, hopefully similar to me,’ she stated.
‘The person is described as a Hispanic man, roughly 50 years outdated, 5 toes 6 inches, 180 kilos, with a scruffy beard. He was additionally described as having lacking enamel,’ Norfolk Police stated in an announcement.
‘As Particular Crime Detectives proceed to analyze the incident, they’re asking anybody with info which will help them to please name 757-664-7033 or submit an nameless tip to Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit a tip by the P3Tips cellular app.’
