Woman who took picture of alleged SkyTrain sexual assault speaks out, 2nd victim comes forward

“It’s been overwhelming. I didn’t think it would be so viral, so fast.”

Those are the words of Kathy, a University of British Columbia student who took a photo showing a man touching a woman on the Canada Line Thursday morning. She posted it to the popular Facebook group “UBC Confessions” and said the unidentified man was sexually harassing the woman while the train headed north through Richmond.

“He was feeling and rubbing the back of your right leg and butt with his left hand, moving up and down,” she wrote.

Kathy got off at the Bridgeport station with the man, and found a Transit Police officer who spoke to him and took down his information.

In the 48 hours since Kathy wrote the post, her words have been shared thousands of times, with many expressing support for her decision. But because the woman who was allegedly groped has not spoken to police, no charges have been laid.

READ MORE: Facebook photo of alleged sexual assault on SkyTrain goes viral

“We need the victim before we can pursue charges against the suspect.”

Kathy hopes the woman comes forward.

“I know that she’s scared and of course everyone feels scared. I felt terrified and guilty, but his actions were unacceptable. I really would appreciate it if she would identify herself, so this man could not get away with it and not do it ever again.”

Kathy says it was evident on the SkyTrain that the woman was deeply uncomfortable with the situation.

“He was touching her continuously. She would shift away from him, but he would do it again, move closer to her and put his hand back on her thigh,” she says.

“Her face was turning red. It was something between anger and upset. As someone who witnessed this, I felt absolutely devastated. I don’t know how she was doing, but obviously her eyes were watering.”

Kathy said the incident went on for two minutes. She described it as “the most horrific and vile thing I’ve seen in my whole life,” and she felt compelled to act.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable and never ever ever in any circumstances should any person be touching someone without their consent, be touching them inappropriately. People shouldn’t be getting away with this, and a lot of people let these things go,” she said.

The suspect was getting on a bus headed for UBC, and his physical description is close to that of an unidentified suspect in an assault that happened on campus two weeks ago.

“There are some similarities in the suspect description,” said University RCMP Sgt. Drew Grainger, but he cautioned against people drawing conclusions at this stage.

“We’re just working with Transit Police investigators with the information they have surfaced as a result of their investigation to see if their suspect has any possibility of being linked to our crime at UBC,” Grainger said.

Kathy hopes the incident increases awareness of an issue she says is all too prevalent on the SkyTrain.

“This happens more often than a lot of people think, and it’s something we should all be aware of,” she said.

Second SkyTrain sex assault victim comes forward

Transit Police spokeswoman Anne Drennan told Global News a woman reported being groped on the Canada Line after seeing media reports of Thursday’s incident.

Drennan says a woman reported being groped on a crowded train at around 7:20 a.m. Friday near Bridgeport Station in Richmond, B.C.

In Friday’s incident, Drennan says the suspect moved behind the victim and groped her leg and buttocks until she exited the train at Broadway-City Hall Station in Vancouver.

-with files from Canadian Press