A mother of five has recounted a traumatic sexual assault that occurred while she was at Community Beach Park in Norfolk, Virginia, with her children. Windi Harrison, 43, said the incident, which took place on a Tuesday afternoon around 5 p.m., has left her struggling with self-confidence and fearful of crowds.
Harrison was relaxing on the sand when a stranger approached her. She reported that the man asked intrusive questions about her relationship status and her children before allegedly groping her and attempting to remove her bikini top. Harrison managed to deter the man and immediately gathered her children to contact the police.
In the aftermath of the assault, Harrison cut off her hair, which she had recently dyed. "I came home and I just hated any part of me that looked good," she told the Daily Mail. "So I just looked in the mirror and chopped it all off. I threw the bikini in the bin, I was just so upset."
She described having a significant amount of self-confidence before the incident, particularly after having five children, and stated that this confidence has now diminished. Harrison noted that she typically feels safe at the beach and that the presence of lifeguards usually provides oversight.
The suspect is described by police as a Hispanic man, approximately 50 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds, with a scruffy beard and missing teeth. A younger man, described as being in his thirties, was with the suspect. Police have released surveillance images of the suspect and are seeking public assistance.
Harrison decided to speak out about her experience to help other survivors of sexual assault feel less alone. "So many, many women go through this and don't say anything so if I can, let me be a voice for those who can't speak up," she said. She hopes her hair, now cut short, will serve as a symbol of her resilience, stating, "The hair is a good metaphor for all of this because it will grow back and be stronger, hopefully just like me."
Norfolk Police are continuing their investigation and have provided a contact number for anyone with information: 757-664-7033. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or via the P3Tips mobile app.