Victim of sexual assault in Oak Street area speaks out

Police say it’s only a matter of time before they catch the man who attacked a woman near Oak Street in Vancouver.

The victim, a 21-year-old UBC student, was approaching the front door of her home near Oak Street and 48th Avenue when she realized she didn’t have her key. As she waited outside for a housemate to let her in, she was attacked by a man wearing a balaclava.

The victim said she was “just a few steps away from the door, and he was behind me, so I turned to see whatever shadow that was there and he saw me.”

The victim, who did not want to be identified, said the man told her to be quiet or he was going to kill her.

“It was scary,” she said. “What’s he going to do? Is he going to kill me? Does he have a gun?”

He pulled her to the side of the house where he pulled at her skirt, groped her, and then started punching her.

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Despite an extensive search, the attacker was not caught, but Vancouver police have a message for him.

“We are looking for you. We will find you. It’s only a matter of time until we do find you,” VPD Sgt. Randy Fincham said.

There have been sexual assaults in three areas of Vancouver and police said Friday’s attack could be linked to two others in the Oakridge area.

“We are talking about sex assaults with some level of violence above what we traditionally see with gropings in Vancouver,” Fincham said.

Police are also working with Burnaby RCMP, which has set up a task force to investigate five sexual assaults targeting women walking alone.

As for the woman who was attacked Friday, she said she was not seriously injured.

“I’m safe. I’m fine. I’m going to be OK.”