Some Mapleton Park trail users say they are taking extra precautions after a woman's frightening encounter on the trail this week.
Natalie Frenette, an avid trail user, said she avoided Mapleton Park until Thursday.
"It's sad what had happened on Monday," Frenette said. "I've actually been going out to the Irishtown park instead, but today my first day coming out with the dog. I'm feeling OK."
Natalie Frenette says she avoided Mapleton Park trail after a man tried to pull a woman into the woods this week. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada)
Shortly after 8 a.m. on Monday, Megan DeWolfe, 21, was walking through Mapleton Park trail off Frampton Lane on her way to buy a coffee. A man grabbed her and tried pulling her into the woods.
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Frenette said the incident has made her more aware and cautious in and around the trails.
"I think it's scary, it definitely is," she said. "It's scary for us girls. We should be safe to be able to go out on the trails.
"My music isn't as loud. I kind of keep my volume a little lower."
Frenette said she's never alone when she goes to the park. She's either with one of her dogs or a friend.
But she won't stop walking the trails around the area, she said, because she doesn't want to live "in fear."
Mandy Babineau says she's never felt threatened while walking Mapleton Park trail. (Gilles Landr/Radio-Canada)
Mandy Babineaum, who also walks the Mapleton trail, said she's noticed a drop in trail walkers since the Monday incident.
"It's very sad for all the seniors that don't want to come out, the women that don't want to come out. Its pretty quiet here the last few days."
Babineau said her two large dogs protect her on the trail. She's never felt threatened.
Paul Sherrard, who walks his dog around Mapleton Park everyday, usually in the evenings, heard about the Monday incident from his wife and daughter.
Paul Sherrard says he's started keeping a closer eye on what's going on in the park. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada)
While he's never encountered anything suspicious on the trail, he said he's become more alert about the park surroundings.
"I just have keep a better eye open for characters because I've heard of it before.. just try to have an eye to help out," Sherrard said.
Danger in broad daylight
Monday's attack was the third incident in the city since April.
"This is a bigger issues than one perpetrator, two perpetrators or three perpetrators," said Kristal LeBLanc, executive drector of Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre.
"It has more to do with the fact that it's a gendered issue and again, here we are as women having to say we can't even go for a walk in a park in broad daylight. It wasn't 2 a.m., it was daytime, where we should feel safe in our own community."
LeBlanc said communities should be working together, taking a stand and doing more to make women feel safer and empowered. She wants residents to speak to their city politicians.
"It could be about free phones placed around trails and parks," she said. "Putting up signage that any suspicious behaviour be reported — because we need to empower bystanders.
"It would offer that sense of comfort, that if they did need help they would be able to access it."
LeBlanc also suggested people trail users download a safety app that could notify someone if they're in danger, to always have a telephone with them, and a "whistle or a flashlight that you can put in someone's eye."
