Tonight I was riding home from work and encountered a situation that would trouble any soul.

I was on my bike and going through a school. A few young guys stopped me and alerted me to a lady sitting on the school roadway nearby – it had just been raining heavily so she was sitting in the wet. They said they had first seen her lying down so they were calling the police.

I decided to ride on and see if she was ok. She was unresponsive and naked from her waist down – her pants were round her ankles. I tried to communicate with her but she was clearly in shock and some sort of trauma. In a school, in daylight, obviously the worst may have been perpetrated upon her. I thought to cover her up but refrained as I did not want to frighten or startle her any further than the state she may have already been in.

Thankfully the police turned up quickly and took control of the situation. Not long after their arrival another guy turned up, recognised her, ran to her, assisted her and cried. When the police said I could leave, she still hadn’t said anything to them but an ambulance had turned up to assist her.

My heart aches.

I felt helpless and am now full of ideas of what I should have done for her. It will take a while for her image to fade in my head. I pray she finds healing and if it was a case of the worst, that our justice system works.

Update: The incident has made it to the news. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6272352/Woman-attacked-at-Auckland-school

I have to give a full statement to the police tonight.