A woman who was allegedly assaulted in the public toilets at St Leonards is calling for more security in public places in wake of the attack.
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The woman was on her way to work when she went to use the public toilets at the St Leonards dog park and was allegedly assaulted by a man lurking in the stall.
"I went into the female toilets and went to use the first stall and this man just came out of the second stall and grabbed me," she said.
"He pushed me up against the wall and bashed my head up against the brick wall and held me there.
"His hands went up under my bra, and he tried to pull my pants down."
Shocked and traumatised, she said she "lost her dignity and her voice" during the experience.
"I'm just so angry, angry at what happened, and angry at myself, I just froze, I couldn't do anything," she said.
However, once the initial shock had passed, the woman said she managed to spit on her attacker and shove him off her, after which he stopped his assault and ran on foot away from the toilets.
A spokesperson from Tasmania Police confirmed they were investigating an allegation of an assault.
However they said because it was an active case they could not comment further and it had been referred to Northern CIB.
The woman said she was sharing her traumatic experience to help warn other women or potential victims and to call for more security and CCTV for public places such as parks.
"I would kick myself if this or worse happened to anyone else," she said, through tears.
She said the details of the attack were swirling in her head, but there was one she would never forget.
"He smelled putrid, it was like he hadn't washed for several days, I can still smell it, and I know it's in my head, but I will never get that smell out of my head," she said.
The woman said there was no CCTV that had captured the incident, and said it was ridiculous in this day and age that there wasn't.
She was also injured in the assault, with her head, neck and back suffering bruises and lacerations from being pushed into the wall.
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