By Scott Beed, News Contributor
The sleep stalker may have been slipping into women’s homes in the Halifax area for more than 6 years. News releases from The Chronicle Herald, CBC News and Global News report incidents of the same nature from as far back as 2004.
From June to Sept. 2004, numerous incidents of a white male intruder breaking-in to the homes of young women in the south end of Halifax were reported. These break-ins took place from 12:30 to 5:30 in the morning.
In all the 2004 incidents the intruder got into bedrooms and watched the women sleep. There were no reports of sexual touching or assault. The subject would flee once confronted and no arrests were made.
(wellington this year Sept. 19 – two of them touched. out – last fall. We believe the same individual is responsible for many of these cases. In a numbers of these cases we have absolutely no description.)
There was a large public outcry to catch the person responsible. However, because there were no further reported incidents after Sept. 2004 the issue largely fell off the public radar.
Similar break-ins began to occur again in Sept. 2008, with eight occurring in a short six-week span. Police begin to speculate that the break–ins from 2004/05 may have been performed by the same individual, or might be related in some way.
Due to several eye witness reports, the police released a description to the media that shows they are searching for a white male with a medium build between 5’10 and 6’ tall.
A Halifax woman spoke to The Gazette but asked to remain anonymous due to concern for her safety and request from the police.
The woman says she heard rustling near her bedroom door and woke up to see a man standing in her door way.
“I originally thought I was seeing things but when I spoke the man quickly left and walked out the front door, says the victim.
“ I was terrified, I felt like a little kid after a nightmare. After a while I went to the door, locked it, and called the police.”
The break-in took place in late Oct. 2009 on Walnut St. at approximately 3:40 am.
As public atention to the case grows, there have been reports of the sleep watcher becoming more brazen in his actions, Halifax Police spokesperson Brian Palmeter says. In some cases since 2009, victims reported having their legs or feet touched by the sleep stalker.
“I actually think the guy might have been trying to wake them up,” Palmeter says, in reference to a case last fall.
Police urge citizens to be extra vigilant.
Last month police responded to a report of a break-in and sexual assault. The break-in occurred at a residence on Wellington St. where three females awoke to find a male standing over their beds watching them as they slept. Two of the females reported being touched in a sexual manner.
Gaye Wishart, an advisor at the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Harassment Prevention Centre, says that telling students to lock their doors and windows is a good first step but it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the issue at its core
Wishart says that as far as provinces go, Nova Scotia has one of the highest rates of reported sexual assault and harassment. She also empathizes with the fact that crimes of this nature often go un-reported because of embarrassment and lingering social stigma. Consequently, says Wishart, the true numbers have yet to reveal themselves.
Wishart says this is a problem that should be shared by the community.
“Of course if you are walking home at night you should be aware of your surroundings, take out your ear phones, just pay more attention to what’s going on around you” says Wishart. “But other community members should be on the lookout too, we should all try to ensure that this community stays healthy and welcoming to all”.
Wishart has not provided counselling to any of the victims of the sleep stalker.
Mike Burns, director of Dalhousie security, says his goal is to raise awareness and cooperate openly with the wider community.
Dal security has been in close contact with the divisional commander with the Halifax Regional Police Department since the attacks began
“If there is information that they have, or they come across in the course of their investigation they will pass it on to Dal security,” says Burns “Dal will deal with that information as best we can with due concern for every ones safety involved.” Often Dal security will pass that information along to students via email in the form of security bulletins.
Burns says security bulletins are a useful tool. Along with students, staff and faculty often live in the neighbourhoods surrounding the Dalhousie campus and the bulletins are just another tool used by his team to develop awareness.
“I think the bulletins are great and really helpful. I just think there should be more information included, “says Joanne Healey, a second-year law student
Burns knows it seems repetitive to some but stresses to students to lock their doors. He says in a large number of cases the suspect walked in through the front door but he acknowledges that forgetting to lock your door is by no means an invitation to be attacked. He says if something does happen, they are not the ones to blame
In an attempt to create a police presence on campus the Halifax Regional Police now has officers walking the beat on and near Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s. These officers will continue their patrol of the south end until early next year, at which point they will determine the effectiveness of the initiative.
Burns says an extra set of eyes out there is always a help. Also it provides of sense of security for those who are worried about living and studying in the area.
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