A Timperley-based blogger has revealed how her running partner was sexually assaulted while running on the Bridgewater Canal path yesterday.
Alison Stankard, who runs the Totes Inappropes Facebook page which has over 167,000 followers, said the incident happened close to Timperley Metrolink Station at around 5pm as she was out with her friend, Jen.
Recounting the incident, she wrote: “As we made our way towards Timperley met station, a cyclist clad in dark clothing went past us to our right. Jen jumped mid stride, squeaked and started shouting. The ‘gentleman’ on the bike had slapped her bum as he rode past. I didn’t see what he’d done but I had heard the slap.”
She added: “Jen was a bit shocked, sort of bemused to start off with. We carried on but as we made our way back to Timperley, we became more and more concerned at the behaviour of this cyclist. Enraged at his absolutely brazen disregard for a woman to exercise without being touched sexually.
“He had done it in broad daylight too, in front of witnesses. It was a bizarre thing to do which made us wonder if maybe this was an entry level, low level foray into sexual assault and left unchecked could this behaviour escalate?”
Stankard said the cyclist had sped up once he was about 20 metres in front of the pair.
Her friend reported the incident to police, who got back in touch last night.
“The police informed her that there had been other reports from women of being slapped by a cyclist in the same location in the last couple of days,” added Stankard. “The police went through everything with her and asked if he’d worn gloves as they could potentially get evidence from her clothes.
“In essence, they were pleased that she’d reported the incident and were of the same opinion that just because it was a slap on the bum this time, it doesn’t mean that it will be next time.”
Stankard said she was recounting the incident to encourage other women to report similar incidents.
“You will be taken seriously. It isn’t okay for a man to slap your bum or scare you,” she said.
