Sydney CBD stabbing victim Michaela Dunn campaigned against sexual violence and online harassment
Young and beautiful, Michaela Dunn had campaigned against sexual violence and online harassment before she discreetly worked in the sex industry. Privately-educated with a passion for travel, she died on Tuesday as the random victim of alleged CBD knifeman Mert Ney.
NSW
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Young and beautiful, Michaela Dunn had campaigned against sexual violence and online harassment before she discreetly worked in the sex industry.
The privately-educated woman who had a passion for travel died on Tuesday as the allegedly random victim of the mentally-ill CBD knifeman Mert Ney.
It appears the unemployed Ney made an appointment with the 24-year-old at her fourth-floor Clarence Street unit with the promise to pay but instead she paid with her life.
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Her social media accounts portray her as an ambitious, happy young woman travelling the world with big dreams for her future.
“A flamenco show, bottomless sangria and a bunch of babes — Spain, you’re not bad,” Ms Dunn wrote on Instagram while posting a happy snap with friends at a restaurant in Granada.
More recently, Ms Dunn’s friends uploaded photos of her walking through jungles in Fiji and visiting schoolchildren on the Pacific island to donate stationary supplies.
She had graduated from Five Dock’s Rosebank College in 2012 before studying marketing and public relations the University of Notre Dame.
It is not known when she started as a sex worker but company records show she registered a company called Surefire Match Pty Ltd in 2015.
The company’s registration was cancelled after her death on Tuesday to protect her privacy.
Hauntingly, in 2016 the popular blonde had shared a petition on her Facebook calling on NSW politicians to introduce laws so that people could be protected from harassment online before her death.
“Sexual violence and harassment is never acceptable — take two minutes to read and sign this petition, it’s such an important issue that needs to be addressed sooner than later,” she wrote.
Ms Dunn, who one friend described to the Telegraph as “bubbly and outgoing”, also travelled widely with friends including to Europe, the US and Sri Lanka, according to her social media.
A relative at her family home in Lidcombe on Wednesday told the Telegraph they had been left shattered following her death.
“We’re really upset and shocked by what’s happened, we’re grieving and trying to understand what happened,” the woman said.
“Michaela was very loved — that’s all we want to say right now”.
Long-time friend Joan Westenberg wrote on social media that she shared a special bond with Dunn.
“Mikki was like my baby sister — I cannot describe how sad and how broken I am at this moment. I loved this kid. She was incredible,” Ms Westenberg wrote.
“I am angry that male violence has taken another victim. Selfishly I am so angry that the victim is a young woman I deeply respected and cared about. Mikki was a true delight to know. The violence in this country cannot continue — it cannot.”
Neighbour Ketki Gupta, who lived on the same floor next door to Dunn in the CBD apartment block, on Wednesday said she was shaken at the scene.
“I’ve been living in this apartment for the past three years — I never witnessed any unusual or suspicious event like this,” she said.
“This incident is a complete shock to me. It was very quiet, I was there during the daytime for lunch. I didn’t hear anything unusual or anything alarming — so that’s really surprising. I couldn’t sleep last night properly. Our floor is very quiet.”