Recently, two women, both in their early 20s, have been attacked during the day by men on two separate occasions in the Nosara area. Both managed to escape, but the incidents have given rise to concern in the community and arrangements are being made to offer a free self-defense class for women.
First, a woman, who wished her name to be kept anonymous, was attacked in an attempted rape on October 29 at Guiones Beach. She related that she was on her lunch break and went for her usual bike ride to the beach. On her way back, a young man approached her on his bike and she felt uncomfortable. He started to touch her and she lost her balance and then started fighting.
“He jumped over me, trying to rip my bare clothes (as I was only wearing my bathing suit),” she recounted. “He threw me on the ground, right on the shore. I was scared to death. He tried to kiss my neck and I managed to bite his ear. I almost ripped it off. He was bleeding really badly.”
Nevertheless, the attacker persisted. “I was almost naked now, but I couldn’t let it happen. I just didn’t want to let it happen,” she related, as thoughts of life and death crossed her mind. She realized she didn’t have control of his actions but did have control of her own and recalled an experience of a woman who escaped from a kidnapping. “I stopped fighting him. I stopped the violence on my side and sat down. I looked at him in the eyes and asked him what did he want to get out of this?”
When he replied that he wanted to make love to her, she told him that to her he was just a kid and told him that he should set her free because he was “a good kid” and that he should never harm any woman ever in his life. The fellow then asked her forgiveness and left.
The victim told The Voice that she is doing much better now after the attack. “I don’t feel like a victim anymore. I feel like a warrior. I need to inspire women. We should never be afraid,” she affirmed.
The attacker allegedly went to the EBAIS clinic for treatment afterward. Dr. Juanita Gomez said the police arrived asking about the young man, a 16-year-old Tico, and she told them that the youth had told her that he injured his ear when he was riding his bicycle. She said the injury appeared to coincide with the youth’s story since there were no bite marks or anything like that, just a simple trauma.
The youth was taken to the district attorney in Nicoya, where he was identified and released. According to the district attorney’s press department, he is the main suspect in the case, which continues under investigation.
The Second Attack
On Thursday, November 7, Meagen Walsh was attacked around 2 p.m. near the five-corners intersection of Playa Pelada. She was walking to Del Mar Academy when she was attacked from behind by a man, who put his arm around her throat, pushed her into the jungle and started pulling on her clothes, she related.
Walsh started kicking, punching and screaming and finally scratched his eye, causing him to let go and giving her the chance to run out to the street. The attacker chased after her, but a neighbor drove by at the moment and stopped to help. Walsh said the attacker tried to act casual, and then another man drove out of some bushes on a motorcycle. The attacker got on the motorcycle and the two drove off. Another car pursued them but both men escaped.
“These two guys weren’t scared to not do it. They weren’t waiting for me to be in a dark alley or anything. They did it in front of everybody, it felt like,” she related.
Walsh was able to take a photo of the attacker from behind and neighbors have been working on identifying him. Walsh expressed confidence that she would be able to identify him. “I’m absolutely positive. I stared him straight in the face,” she said.
Walsh said the community support has been amazing, receiving constant phone calls and messages through Facebook. A reward poster was even made. “I feel more supported here than I have anywhere else. This is amazing. The community, it steps forward in ways that I didn’t think a community could,” she expressed. “I don’t feel in danger. I feel safe.”
In response to the attacks, a free 1 ½ hour class on women’s evasive techniques and strategies will be held on Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m. in the studio of the Heart of Guiones Wellness Center next to Tica Massage. Richard Jordan, who is organizing the class, is an experienced kung fu instructor. He said he will teach a few simple, effective techniques to get out of choke holds and ways to incapacitate their attackers in order to get away. In addition, Walsh will be present to share her experience.
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