A young woman has revealed what helped defuse a horrific experience with a man who started behaving ‘aggressively’ towards her while she was walking alone.
Mikayla Gradara, 26, was on her daily walk along the Linear Park trail in Athelston, northeast Adelaide, on Wednesday morning when she came across the man.
She first saw him threaten an elderly woman on the path and “stick the middle finger in her face” before his attention was turned to her.
With no way to avoid the man without turning her back, Ms Gradara tried to ‘avoid eye contact’ and keep walking – but he continued to get in her way.
She began to fear for her safety after realizing she couldn’t defend herself if he threatened her with a gun.
A young woman who had a horrific experience with an ‘aggressive’ man, Mikayla Gradara (pictured), has revealed how she defused the situation
Out of options and the man continuing to intimidate her, Ms. Gradare decided to call Triple-Zero, answer the man on her phone and raise her voice.
The simple act caught the attention of a nearby group who were also walking along the path and came to her aid.
“If there weren’t people around, I honestly couldn’t imagine what could have happened,” she said The advertiser.
The man only fled after the group confronted him.
She shared the incident with her followers on Instagram and said: ‘This cannot be allowed to happen and it must end.’
‘People should be able to exercise freely, go out, socialize… without having to worry about their safety.’
“Be alert to the people around you and if you do feel unsafe, call (Triple-Zero).”
Despite leaving the interaction physically unscathed, Ms. Gradare questioned her safety in public.
“I’ve started walking the main roads again now,” she said, revealing she no longer takes the Linear Park path for fear of seeing the man or anyone “hanging around.”
‘Since then I feel like I’m watching my back, even the slightest sound makes me turn around all the time.’
Ms Gradara was on her morning walk along the Linear Park trail in Athelston (pictured), in Adelaide, and shouted Triple-Zero loudly, attracting the attention of others who came to her aid
Sharing the incident on Instagram later that day (pictured), she said people should not fear for their safety in public
Her social media post caught the attention of several other women who shared similar experiences while walking alone.
Others told her not to “go for a walk on her own,” to which Ms. Gradare responded by saying women “should be able to feel safe going out somewhere.”
It comes after Joel Cauchi, 40, murdered five women and one man at Westfield Bondi Junction last Saturday.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said it was “clear” the knifeman was “targeting women”.
Police watched extensive footage of Cauchi’s movements through the mall and saw how he selected his victims.