'Women and girls need to be aware': Brandonites react to string of sex assaults

Shock and fear are two words Brandy Robertson uses to describe news that four sexual assaults in downtown Brandon over the spring and summer may beconnected.

Robertson, who works in the city's core as the executive director of the Brandon Women's Resource Centre, also lives downtown and said the news that some women and girls are the targets of violence has her on edge.

• String of downtown Brandon sexual assaults connected, police believe

"We live right off a back alley and that's where a lot of this is happening," she said. "It's dark, the alleys aren't well lit in Brandon. So our guard is [up] a little more, I guess."

Brandon police said three of the four assaults took place in alleys and the fourth under a bridge. In each case, a woman walking alone was approached by at least one man who asked for a cigarette before the victimwassexually assaulted. The attacksoccurred between April and early September.

Clients fearful

Robertson said it has clients at her clinic feeling fearful and suggests women and girls walking at night be aware of their surroundings.

"Women and girls need to be aware that this is happening," she said. "What we really need to focus on is the fact that this is happening and how we can stop it from happening."

However, she said the answer is notto avoid the downtown altogether.

"It seems like it's the right answer but it's not practical," said Robertson. "We need to be able to walk at night."

"In the winter it's dark here at six o'clock," she added. "People can't just not walk at night, it's just not a feasible option."

More police patrols: Robertson

Robertson said that while Brandon police already frequent the downtown, she suggested the force step up patrols. But that'ssomething the police force has done, according to spokesperson Sgt. Bill Brown.

"We have had a downtown initiative throughout the summer with increased patrols 24 hours a day," he said. "We've done tracking of that and we're very happy with the response."

Brown said the increased patrols are part of a summer initiative in the downtown as a result of concerns raised in the summer of 2015.

He said the patrols could continue beyond summer in some aspect if the force notices a need. However the onus also lies on the public to be aware of their surroundings, no matter where they are in the city.

"If you're at something and you're out after hours, be aware of your surroundings," said Brown. "Make sure you have your phone with you."

"It really doesn't matter where you are," he added. "We have lots of different areas of the city where people congregate after hours."

Many businesses in the downtown close at the end of the business day, however a number of bars and restaurants stay open late into the night.

The suspects in the string of incidents are believed to be between 25 and 35 years old.

Anyone with information on any of the incidents is asked to call Brandon police at 204-729-2345 or Crime Stoppers.

City still safe

Still, despite the string of sexual assaults, Robertson believes the city is still a safe place to live.

"Everybody needs to be paying more attention," she said.

Brown said police are still investigating the assaults and while just the four are believed to be related to date, investigators could still link others in the future.

As for addressing dimly lit alleys, Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Bruce Owen said the city can request additional streetlights if they feel more lighting is needed in a particular area.