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Hungarian Champion Ultramarathon Runner And A Mother Of Two Speaks Out After Brutal Sexual Assault
Hungarian champion ultramarathon runner Viktória Makai became a victim of a brutal sexual assault in Budapest on October 14, 2018.
While she was doing her regular run along the road, a strong, heavy man tackled her, beat her head bloody and then sexually abused her. Several cars drove past them on the road while this was happening.
Her husband went to look for his wife and managed to prevent further tragedy. Driving the attacker away, he saved his wife who was taken to a hospital at once. The police arrested the assailant the same day and pressed charges against him.
After being released from the hospital, the mother of two refused to hide her wounds and decided to launch an anti-violence campaign, “Run Away.”
“We hope to generate thought-provoking ideas that can help us increase our safety. We would welcome any action to advance this important social issue. Perhaps these campaign messages will help others to tell their own stories or draw the strength needed to make a change.” – Viktória says to media.
She reveals her thoughts and feelings about the assault and post-traumatic stress disorder that she’s experienced with astounding openness through her photo gallery and personal messages.
More info: sportagvalaszto.hu
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“I’ve always wondered what chances a 50-pound woman would have if she was attacked”
“I often worried about how we could protect our slender little girl and what she could do for her own safety. My junior European judo champion cousin always said the only chance a slender woman had against a well-prepared male attacker was to run. Today I know that if the challenge comes unexpected, even a Hungarian champion marathon runner can be outrun on 100 yards, but I still believe the best solution is to run: sooner and faster!”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
“I was suspicious of the man running behind me but I was reluctant to believe that he was really after me”
“I was running in a safe, well-lit, busy neighborhood. I had an obvious idea of what is safe and what is dangerous. I didn’t make a mistake, but the sexual abuse incident still happened. I owe my life to my husband. There’s no such thing as 100% security. Security is what allows you to live a carefree life in the way you imagined for yourself. Your own solution is the good one.”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
“I recognized him. He greeted me every morning with a smile on his face”
“One of the journalists told me: “I was surprised that the assailant was a tall, blond, good-looking Hungarian man.” Stereotypes may misguide you. None of us is perfect, neither am I. Freedom and security is human rights. They are independent of ideology, skin color, gender or religion. I look for and find honesty and good will in my relationships with people. Most of the social problems often come from our immediate surroundings and not from outside. I will keep an eye out for my environment and refuse to live with my eyes closed.”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
“He kept beating my head and told me to shut the hell up!”
“Speaking plays a central role in our existence as human beings. It allows me to give information about myself or ask for help. It allows me to give credibility to thought by saying it out loud. It allows me to express my interest in the situation of my fellow human beings. Victims speak out. That’s what I do. More and louder!”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
“I ran to the roadside to ask for help. There was a car coming but it drove right past me”
“Recently I’ve only given help as long as it was asked for. I thought everybody knew what was good for them and if they truly wanted to make a change. Earlier, there was a time when I called the ambulance to an unconscious man. By the time the ambulance arrived, he had got better and took my intention to help amiss. As a result, I’ve been reluctant to risk offering my help if the situation wasn’t obvious. This case made me modify my opinion: we are responsible for what we are aware of. Just because someone can’t ask for help, it doesn’t mean they don’t want to change.
Information means responsibility! I take it!”
Information means responsibility! I take it!”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
“We washed the bloody clothes the next day”
“My little boy asked me to cover my face so that he could know it was still me. When I was telling him the bedtime story, I took him in my lap with his face away from me so that he could be soothed by my voice and touch, but he wouldn’t see my broken face. When he was “missing” my face, we looked at family holiday photos where all of us were healthy and happy. I’m the same person basking in glory on the podium or lying broken and bloody.
My husband brought the bloody T-shirt home from the hospital and washed it. The nurse hung the bloody, torn running jacket in the wardrobe. I was faced with it when I was packing before I was released from the hospital. I was shocked and shaken by the sight of it. Putting it in the wastebasket instead of my bag was a tiny step in dealing with the trauma. We couldn’t retrieve this piece of evidence from the hospital waste later on. I’ve never worn the shoes since.”
Image credits: sportagvalaszto
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What do you think ?
Carol Emory 6 years ago
Let's hope her attacker experiences what he dished out..because there's no where to run in prison.
Anna Lourie 6 years ago
I'm thankful that Viktória Makai took these photos. She shows the true face what brutal aassoult (of any kind) looks like. Also thanks for sharing the story. It's not easy to stand up shortly after something like this.
Laszló Szilagyi (Post author) 6 years ago
Sorry, I missed the weight! She is 50 kg! Not 50 pounds! “I’ve always wondered what chances a 50-kg woman would have if she was attacked”
Frank Aszody 6 years ago
For starters I'm speechless, In my heart NO MAN SHOULD EVER HIT A WOMEN, I don't care if she is hitting you. But this kind of thing makes my stomach turn, My heart goes out to her and her husband and her family . What they need to do is cut this pigs d**k off and his balls, if any thing a message to all rapist . it won't be tolerated. just short of hanging the bastard. sorry for the bad language.
JD Cassavaugh 5 years ago
Perfectly put, Frank, no need for apologies. I have had the same opinion since I can remember, and it sickens me how rarely rapists are aptly punished.
Load More Replies...
Chiza Westcarr 6 years ago
“I was surprised that the assailant was a tall, blond, good-looking Hungarian man.” Stereotypes may misguide you. What an understatement!
Amanda Ferraz 6 years ago
The people who were witnesses, unless they called the police and really couldn't intervene are almost as bad as the attacker
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
I worked with a guy who was attacked and badly beaten by three guys in a park during the day in Minneapolis. It's strange that we treat rape so much differently. We pay more attention in some ways (re: this post), and also it is hidden or discounted in many cases. I can only imagine that my coworker received little support. It was clear to me that he was badly shaken up by it for weeks. I talked to him about it, and he acted like I was the first person who he'd talked to about it (and seemed to really need to). Strange rapes are rare, and being beaten this badly even more rare. For the young women out there saying you can't ever go anywhere without fear, keep thinking that over. It is rare. Be careful, but don't lock yourself away due to a one in X million chance of being attacked by a stranger.
Maggie Collins 6 years ago
Those people who drove by without helping or calling (at the very least) are just as guilty in my mind as the attacker! I don't know how they can live with themselves. The attacker will get exactly what he deserves, I'm sure. I hope you have peace and comfort, you are blessed with a wonderful family. Thank you for sharing your story.
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
Are you certain that they recognized what was happening? I am not, by the description.
Load More Replies...
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
Might not have helped. If he attacked and knocked her down, would she have been able to get it? Having gotten it, could she have shot him in the close quarters before he had a chance to take it away from her and shoot HER? These aren't rhetorical question. What are the chances she could have defended herself with a gun? (Things don't work like the movies.)
Load More Replies...
Full Name 6 years ago
Of course I get why the knee jerk reactions are mostly about "this POS should rot in jail forever" type deal, but how about taking a deeper look at things. This was apparently a decent looking guy that was local and this was in a safe, well lit area. That means the man is clearly mentally ill and I don't see how hoping he dies helps anybody. Getting "revenge" on the guy isn't going to change what happened, or in this case help prevent it in the future. Crazy is crazy, and wishing more pain and suffering because his brain is all kinds of f****d up isn't a solution. Keep him away from society to prevent him from reoffending? Sure. That helps. Wishing him pain and torment and death? Not helping.
Aunt Messy 6 years ago
Rapists are NOT "mentally ill". I understand how an MRA freak like you would like to pretend they are, but that's a lie. These men are perfectly capable of knowing what they are doing, knowing it's wrong, and doing it anyway. That is the legal definition of sanity.
Load More Replies...
Carol Emory 6 years ago
Let's hope her attacker experiences what he dished out..because there's no where to run in prison.
Anna Lourie 6 years ago
I'm thankful that Viktória Makai took these photos. She shows the true face what brutal aassoult (of any kind) looks like. Also thanks for sharing the story. It's not easy to stand up shortly after something like this.
Laszló Szilagyi (Post author) 6 years ago
Sorry, I missed the weight! She is 50 kg! Not 50 pounds! “I’ve always wondered what chances a 50-kg woman would have if she was attacked”
Frank Aszody 6 years ago
For starters I'm speechless, In my heart NO MAN SHOULD EVER HIT A WOMEN, I don't care if she is hitting you. But this kind of thing makes my stomach turn, My heart goes out to her and her husband and her family . What they need to do is cut this pigs d**k off and his balls, if any thing a message to all rapist . it won't be tolerated. just short of hanging the bastard. sorry for the bad language.
JD Cassavaugh 5 years ago
Perfectly put, Frank, no need for apologies. I have had the same opinion since I can remember, and it sickens me how rarely rapists are aptly punished.
Load More Replies... Chiza Westcarr 6 years ago
“I was surprised that the assailant was a tall, blond, good-looking Hungarian man.” Stereotypes may misguide you. What an understatement!
Amanda Ferraz 6 years ago
The people who were witnesses, unless they called the police and really couldn't intervene are almost as bad as the attacker
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
I worked with a guy who was attacked and badly beaten by three guys in a park during the day in Minneapolis. It's strange that we treat rape so much differently. We pay more attention in some ways (re: this post), and also it is hidden or discounted in many cases. I can only imagine that my coworker received little support. It was clear to me that he was badly shaken up by it for weeks. I talked to him about it, and he acted like I was the first person who he'd talked to about it (and seemed to really need to). Strange rapes are rare, and being beaten this badly even more rare. For the young women out there saying you can't ever go anywhere without fear, keep thinking that over. It is rare. Be careful, but don't lock yourself away due to a one in X million chance of being attacked by a stranger.
Maggie Collins 6 years ago
Those people who drove by without helping or calling (at the very least) are just as guilty in my mind as the attacker! I don't know how they can live with themselves. The attacker will get exactly what he deserves, I'm sure. I hope you have peace and comfort, you are blessed with a wonderful family. Thank you for sharing your story.
Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
Are you certain that they recognized what was happening? I am not, by the description.
Load More Replies... Marnee DeRider 6 years ago
Might not have helped. If he attacked and knocked her down, would she have been able to get it? Having gotten it, could she have shot him in the close quarters before he had a chance to take it away from her and shoot HER? These aren't rhetorical question. What are the chances she could have defended herself with a gun? (Things don't work like the movies.)
Load More Replies... Full Name 6 years ago
Of course I get why the knee jerk reactions are mostly about "this POS should rot in jail forever" type deal, but how about taking a deeper look at things. This was apparently a decent looking guy that was local and this was in a safe, well lit area. That means the man is clearly mentally ill and I don't see how hoping he dies helps anybody. Getting "revenge" on the guy isn't going to change what happened, or in this case help prevent it in the future. Crazy is crazy, and wishing more pain and suffering because his brain is all kinds of f****d up isn't a solution. Keep him away from society to prevent him from reoffending? Sure. That helps. Wishing him pain and torment and death? Not helping.
Aunt Messy 6 years ago
Rapists are NOT "mentally ill". I understand how an MRA freak like you would like to pretend they are, but that's a lie. These men are perfectly capable of knowing what they are doing, knowing it's wrong, and doing it anyway. That is the legal definition of sanity.
Load More Replies...
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