Renee was out for an evening run in St Kilda when she was approached by a stranger. What he said next left the young woman shaken
A young Melbourne woman has recalled the terrifying moment a man threatened to ‘rape’ her in a public park.
Renee Buckingham, a digital creator known for her vegan and marathon content, shared the shocking experience on social media on Friday.
After a 5km run at St Kilda on Thursday afternoon, she was about to walk onto the beach for a swim when she passed a bubbler near Point Ormond.
Ms Buckingham said it was then that a man washing what she believed to be a crack pipe in the water began to threaten her.
‘[He] yelled at me, “You’re going to get raped.” I kept walking (I was alone by the way),’ she wrote in a statement.
‘Then he yelled, “I’m going to rape you”.
‘I walked up to this couple, Danny and Alicia, and asked if I could walk with them and then he yelled at Danny saying, “I won’t rape your girlfriend, just her”, and pointed to me.’
After the couple had walked her back to her car, the young woman burst into tears.
A young Melbourne woman has recalled the terrifying moment a man threatened to ‘rape’ her in a public park after she finished a 5km run
Ms Buckingham said a couple who were nearby walked her safely to her car
She had been on a run down the beach when a stranger yelled that he would rape her
‘But honestly… this is awful. This felt awful. I just sat in my car and cried,’ she added.
‘I called the police and reported him. Everyone has the right to feel safe and I’m so saddened that people and women still don’t.’
Ms Buckingham also made a TikTok video about the incident, which was quickly inundated with messages from concerned viewers.
‘Hope you’re okay! I live in St Kilda and this happens way too often the point my sister and I are scared sometimes to even go for a walk in the middle of the day!’ one said.
‘That is not ok. Thank goodness you are safe and sound, but I’m so sorry you had to experience that in this day and age,’ a second wrote.
‘Been living in Melbourne for two years and I’m too scared to walk by myself here,’ a third commented.
Speaking to the Daily Mail on Saturday, Ms Buckingham said she had asked St Kilda police to go down to the beach and find the man.
‘They asked if I wanted to do anything further and my response was to ensure no other human experiences this,’ she said.
‘My only intention by sharing [this] is for awareness and safety.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Victoria Police for comment.
