Police link two brutal abductions and sexual assaults after thirty years

When police appealed for information about a horrific abduction and rape in 1985, another woman came forward saying the same thing happened to her.

Police fear there are more victims after linking two unsolved abductions and sexual assaults of Melbourne teenagers in the 1980s.

Victorian police had been investigating a historical sexual assault when they received information about a "strikingly similar" attack.

The survivor has spoken as "Debbie" in a video released by police.

She was 19 when she was attacked in Nunawading, east Melbourne, March 1986.

Debbie has described walking to her boyfriend's parents' house when she was dragged off the street, thrown in a car, bound and gagged and taken to an unknown property where she was assaulted before being dumped under a parked car at Ringwood.

Thirty years on, Debbie says she still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and lives in fear of her attackers finding her.

"Even though they got away with it for such a long time, punishment even now is a kind of way of saying: 'no this is wrong'," she said in the pre-recorded video released on Sunday.

Debbie came forward after a re-enactment was released earlier this month of the abduction and assault of 18-year-old Susan (not her real name) in 1985, just six months before her own attack.
Supplied:Victoria Police
Susan was the victim of an attack in 1985. Source: Supplied:Victoria Police
The school girl was dragged into a vehicle at around 10pm, November 22, in Melbourne's Richmond suburb. She was blindfolded and gagged, then taken to an unknown property.

Susan was then sexually assaulted before being dumped on Yarra Boulevard in Richmond some hours later.

Police believe there was a man standing at the end of the street who made eye contact with Susan before driving off. He never came forward.

Both incidents were investigated by police at the time, however no one was ever arrested or charged in relation to either attacks.

Police are continuing to look for similar cases and are keen to speak to anyone who may have been victim of such an incident, but never reported it at the time.
Supplied:Victoria Police
Susan was attacked in 1985. Now, a $350,000 reward is on offer for any information that might lead to the attackers. Source: Supplied:Victoria Police
They are offering a $350,000 reward for information for both cases leading to a successful prosecution.

The officer in charge of the Sexual Crimes Squad Detective, Inspector Steve Wilson, said any information could be crucial.

"I know it has been some years since this incident occurred but we're not willing to give up," he said.

"I can only begin to imagine how horrific it has been for this victim, not only to go through the extreme trauma of a terrifying incident like this, but to also spend the past 33 years knowing that those responsible have never been charged in relation to it.”

If this is bringing up issues for you, there’s always someone you can talk to at Lifeline on 13 11 14. Or if you don’t feel like picking up the phone, they also have an online chat service here or check out ReachOut.


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By Emily Jane Smith

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