These incidents have reminded me of my own run in with this city’s violent offenders that, while not nearly as serious, was still a terrifying experience.

It happened a few years ago when a few friends and I were visiting an old schoolmate studying in Bendigo.

It was a Saturday night and we had decided to walk home to my friend’s place on Little Breen Street.

Us girls had gotten a little way ahead of the boys and were crossing the Myrtle Street bridge when a car of young men pulled up, yelling a myriad of derogatory words men like that have for the opposite sex.

Our male friends, who ran to catch up, told them in no uncertain terms to go away, and with a screech they did. We thought that was the end of that, but not so.

About 30 minutes later the boys had taken their BMXs to some jumps down the road.

Suddenly the same car pulled up out the front, the men got out and started banging on the doors and windows yelling about the things they were going to do to us. I have never been a damsel in distress, but at that point I was terrified.

We rang the boys who quickly rode over. But when they arrived the men picked up rocks and ran at them. My friends, not the most macho of boys, ran in the opposite direction.

In the midst of it all someone had thought to call the police, when they showed up our would be attackers fled.

The point of telling this story isn’t to “prove” Bendigo is a dangerous place to live. I don’t think it’s more dangerous than other parts of Victoria.

My aim is to show that anyone can fall victim to violence without provocation. So how do we make it stop?