Hundreds gather for Reclaim Our Merri Creek march

Hundreds of people have gathered in a show of solidarity following a horror sex attack on a young female jogger on the Merri Creek trail last week.

Hundreds joined the Reclaim our Merri Creek walk. Picture; Andrew Tauber

Hundreds of people marched yesterday to reclaim Merri Creek Trail following a horror sex attack on a jogger.

Residents and supporters joined the Reclaim Our Merri Creek walk to show solidarity with the victim, who was assaulted in Coburg last Tuesday.

Some held signs with slogans calling out male violence. Organisers addressed the crowd at Mayer Park in Thornbury before leading the march down Normanby Ave towards the site of the attack.

Supporters walked to show solidarity for the victim. Picture: Andrew Tauber

An organiser speaks to the crowd. Picture: Andrew Tauber

“We’re going to stand up and reclaim our creek,” one organiser told the crowd.

Darebin councillor Susanne Newton said the vigil was the manifestation of community grief after a series of violent sex attacks.

They included the rape and murder of Israeli exchange student Aiia Maasarwe in Bundoora and sexual assault in Mayer Park in ­October.

Reclaim our Merri Creek, walk taking place with hundreds marching against sexual violence. Picture Andrew Tauber.

“We shouldn’t have to march, we should be able to walk and jog and ride (in our parks),” she said.

Elder Aunty Di Kerr said male violence towards women was “totally unacceptable”.

“We shouldn’t fear for women to walk the streets,” she said.

Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, who also attended the march, dismissed calls for lighting in the area, saying the solution lay in changing men’s attitudes.

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“We expect our communities to be vigilant, we expect men to stop raping women,” she said.

Karlene Hilton, 51, regularly runs along the creek path and said the march was about helping women feel “safe again”.

“This just sends shockwaves for everyone,” she said.

A Facebook group has been launched for women to meet up to run in groups along the creek trail.

Police have charged Coburg man Joel Russo, 25, with ten counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault in relation to last week’s attack.

He also faces charges over a robbery at a Carlton service station in the hours after the attack.