Eugene Police Department spokeswoman Pam Alejandre said that among the three attacks against women that have occurred on the University campus since February, at least one has an identifiable suspect.
Though each woman attacked has described a different assailant than the other victims, one woman has been able to provide the police with enough information to develop a composite drawing of the suspect.
This woman, a high school student, was attacked from behind on Feb. 22 while walking on the south sidewalk of Johnson Hall.
“The young woman was carrying a book and was able to turn and hit her attacker with it,” said Tom Hicks, associate director for the University Department of Public Safety. “She’s the only one who’s been able to see her attacker’s face.”
Alejandre said each attack took place after dark and all the victims were grabbed from behind.
The first reported incident happened Feb. 14, when a woman was attacked by a man wearing a mask at the corner of East 15th Avenue and University Street.
Alejandre said the woman reportedly tripped after the attacker jumped out of some bushes, but she was able to escape.
Other attacks include a March 16 assault on a woman walking along the Gerlinger fire lane, which passes by the Pioneer Cemetery, and a Feb. 28 assault on a woman walking north of the foot bridge in Alton Baker Park, near Autzen Stadium.
Alejandre said attackers have not only been grabbing their victims, but also making sexual comments and alluding to the danger of being alone.
“During the March 16 incident, the attacker actually spoke to the woman, saying, ‘Don’t you know you shouldn’t be walking alone?’” Alejandre said.

Hicks said DPS has been hanging bright yellow posters alerting students to the attacks since March 7 in an attempt to educate students on how to avoid an attack.
“We want information about the attacks to be out in the campus community so we can reduce the likelihood of further incidences,” Hicks said.
Posters have been hung in the EMU, the residence halls, sororities and fraternities, the University Health Center and other locations. They include precautions people can take to avoid an attack, such as walking with someone else or in a group, walking in well-lit places and calling for help if they feel threatened.
“Anyone can call [DPS] for a walking escort if they feel uncomfortable,” Hicks said. “Even if it’s after midnight, we’ll send someone to walk with you from the library to the residence halls or anywhere else on campus.”
Other services intended to help keep students safe include the emergency phones and Saferide, which provides rides to women who are left to walk home alone, Hicks said.
Cindy Smith, an adult nurse practitioner for the University Health Center, said if attacked, a student has a lot of options.
“Both the Sacred Heart Medical Center and McKenzie-Willamette Hospital emergency rooms have forensic nurses that can do any kind of testing necessary and can help with the legal issues of an attack,”Smith said. “The University Health Center can also do any kind of testing for pregnancy and STDs, and the Office of Student Life can provide counseling and legal advice.”
Hicks said surviving an attack is the most important thing to think about.
“It’s important for someone to rely on their own wits and fight back if they can,” Hicks said.”If someone says, ‘I have a gun,’ it may be best to cooperate. The main thing is to survive the attack.”
DPS will continue to work with EPD to find those who are attacking women on the University campus.