Editorial: Caution best bet at the moment

Linda Hall, Assistant Editor, Hawke's Bay Today.

It's disturbing, to say the least, to hear that there's a person (I won't call him a man, he doesn't deserve it) out there who thinks it's okay to assault women.

If that's not bad enough this coward picked on a lone woman out jogging early in the morning.

My heart goes out to her and I hope she is getting lots of support.

Police are looking for a Caucasian man, between 30-40 who was wearing black shorts and a black/dark-coloured jacket.

He indecently assaulted the woman on O'Dowd Rd, in Taradale, between 6-6.30am.
He had been seen on Church Rd near White St just before this incident.

This isn't the first time this has happened and no doubt it won't be the last.

People who do these kinds of things always seek out the vulnerable and like it or not women out walking or running in the early hours of the morning and late at night are easy targets for these nasty people.

I know people should be able to exercise whenever they damn well feel like it, but the reality is the world we live in is just not as safe as it used to be.

No, we shouldn't have to hide behind closed doors and only go out when there are lots of people about but I think these days we have to take precautions, especially when we know there is someone like this out in the community.

Meet a friend or go a bit later in the day. I know it's easier said than done when there's work and families to organise but in this case it really is better to be safe than sorry - at least until he is caught.