A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD shop assistant was raped at gunpoint on Tuesday evening, in the vicinity of the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) Housing Scheme, in New Amsterdam, as she was returning to her home, in West Canje.
The woman, who is employed at a  shop in New Amsterdam, had moments ago, concluded her day’s work and had decided to walk home along the newly constructed, all weather roadway that stretches from Shoe Lane to Angoy’s Avenue, on the eastern fringe of the New Amsterdam township. She was suddenly pulled into a nearby clump of bushes.

Her struggles to resist her attacker’s grip on her body, was too weak to ward off the youth who pointed a pistol to her head, before demanding that she comply with his wishes. “I want some sex and I got to get it,” he muttered into her ear. But, she did not submit easily. The woman said she screamed, alerting a passing cyclist, who in turn alerted a hire car driver who was in the vicinity plying his trade. But, the driver was overheard saying, “Me wife and me daughters are at home. Me ain’t got no time,” before driving off.

The alleged rape victim said she was sexually violated for over an hour before the rapist left her behind, bleeding and battered. She said, it was another passerby, who came to her rescue and subsequently alerted relatives. At the time of this report, the victim was undecided as to whether she should report the matter to the police, as she claimed it is very difficult for her to relive the life changing incident again. However, she has since issued a call for the M&TC to clear all overgrown bushes along the parapets and open lots, and to place electric lamps along the roadways so as to improve on the security within the community.

“As woman, I must feel safe to walk. It was not late. Just after 1900hrs. I would hear of similar stories, occurring in this area, but I never believe. I feel so humiliated. I feel so violated…”