By Breanna Adams

On Jan. 9, 2014 a city-wide alert was issued for everyone to be on their guard for a man who has been linked to at least three sexual assaults that have taken place in Ottawa over the past 17 months.

With news like this being printed and broadcasted anxiety can surface, especially among female students at Algonquin who sometimes have no choice to walk home alone at night.

“It’s scary not to know where he is,” said Liana Tavlia, 22, a Biotechnology student here at Algonquin. Tavlia says that she avoids taking the bus at night and tries to get picked up as much as possible.

A main concern for women when walking alone in the dark is whether or not a predator is near them. In 2012 330 women were sexually assaulted in Ottawa. This, however is only the number of women who have actually went to the police to report what happened to them.

Women who are victims of this should contact authorities immediately.