Women furious at street sex taunts

By Sarah Schwager
WOMEN are being harassed for sex on Dandenong streets in broad daylight.
Dandenong woman, Sally*, 23, has told the Star she was continually asked for sex on Hemmings Street by young men passing by in cars.
“When you can’t walk down the street without some jerk asking to pay for sex then something is wrong,” Sally said.
“It’s not like I dress like a prostitute or anything. I wear boots and a normal shirt and I walk kind of like a boy. I don’t know what they see in that.”
Sally’s story has been backed by other young women who say they, too, are concerned for their safety when walking around Dandenong.
Keysborough teenager Bec said she and her friends were regularly targeted by men leering from cars or approaching them on the streets of Dandenong.
She said she often felt uncomfortable walking through Hemmings Park, located across the Princes Highway from Dandenong High School, and around the neighbouring streets.
“When you walk there you don’t feel safe,” Bec said.
“There’s been lots of bashings there and rapes and assaults.”
Tara, from Noble Park, said men in cars had stopped beside her and her friends and asked if they wanted a lift.
“We try not to go near that area anymore,” Tara said.
“One time we were walking through the park and this old guy started coming onto us.”
Region Five Chief Inspector George Johnson said police were working with the Greater Dandenong council to make Hemmings Park safer, after a number of women were raped in and near the park last March.
“We have relocated the toilets so they are more visible and in an open space,” Chief Insp Johnson said.
Chief Insp Johnson also confirmed police regularly carried out both overt and covert patrols in the area but said he was not aware of any specific complaints of the nature outlined by Sally and Bec.
Greater Dandenong director of engineering services Tim Tamlin said a youth facility at the park was due to be completed in April.
The old toilet block is now locked up and closed off and will be demolished in the next couple of months. An automated, self-cleaning, self-locking toilet, has replaced it.
However, Sally said she was concerned nothing was being done about the situation on Hemmings Street.
“In no time a bigger problem will develop,” she said.
Greater Dandenong director of community services June Dugina said council had conducted a safety audit of the park a year ago.
Ms Dugina said the new buildings and works at the park were a response to some of the issues identified and a youth worker would also be based at the youth facility to act as an outreach for young people.
She said other works, such as a BMX jumps track and a $100,000 playground upgrade would be completed in the next financial year to make the park more user-friendly.
Chief Insp Johnson urged anyone who was concerned for their safety to take down registration numbers or contact the police on 9767 7444.
* Sally’s name has been changed because of fears for her safety. The other names in this story are real.