Kaunas woman seeks attacker after street assault

A woman in Kaunas is asking the public to help identify a man who attacked her in the city centre on July 28, LRT reported. She said the man approached her from behind, tried to lift her and later returned and injured her.

Kristina, a pseudonym known to the editorial team, said the incident happened as she was walking home from work through Jeruzalės alley. “A man ran up to me and tried to lift me from behind,” she told LRT.

She said her self-defence instinct took over and she struck the man. When he did not react, she continued walking. However, after she turned the corner, the man ran up to her again and injured her in five different parts of her body.

“When I got up, he had already left,” she said.

Kristina called the police, but officers arrived at the scene after 20 minutes. She said they recommended that she return home and register the incident through epolicija.lt after calming down.

She later appealed on social media for help from Kaunas residents who live or work in the area and have security cameras. She asked them to review footage from July 28 and posted several images from another camera recording. The attacker’s face cannot be seen. She said he was a man wearing shorts and may have been accompanied by another man wearing trousers.

The Kaunas County Police Headquarters told LRT that it received a report at 9.21pm on July 28 about an incident that had occurred at around 6.15pm in Jeruzalės alley. According to the report, an unknown man ran up to the woman, tried to lift her from behind, harassed her and pushed her.

The man has not yet been identified. Administrative proceedings have been launched over a minor breach of public order.

The offence carries a fine of between 30 and 140 euros. A repeat offence can result in a fine of between 140 and 240 euros. The offender may also be ordered to take part in programmes relating to alcohol and drug prevention, early intervention, healthcare, resocialisation, communication with children, changing violent behaviour or other courses.

The offender may also be banned from attending events held in public places for between six months and two years.

Trainer urges people to monitor their surroundings

Žilvinas Šriubša, the founder of the Self-Defence Academy, said prevention was the best protection, rather than elaborate martial arts techniques.

He said people should constantly monitor their surroundings and look around, even when they are in a public place in the city centre, to avoid being approached unexpectedly.

Šriubša said Kristina had reacted correctly by striking the man after he grabbed her. He said it was important to try to do something, keep moving, struggle and shout rather than freeze from fear.

He also urged people to be particularly alert at night and, whenever possible, to walk with trusted friends.