Woman attacked by machete-wielding man in Jamaica

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It was supposed to be an unforgettable vacation for the right reasons, an escape from the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn to soak in paradise.

"We did some research and it sounded really great and that was where we were attacked out first night there," said Veronica Cassidy, victim.

27-year-old Veronica Cassidy and her boyfriend Shane O'Connor booked a private villa in Long Bay, Jamaica, a bit off the beaten path, a real chance to enjoy some peace and quiet.

"I got there and I didn't feel right. We even talked about whether we could find another place to stay the next day," Cassidy said.

Veronica woke up in the middle of the night.

She was confronted by a man with a machete inside the bathroom.

The same man she says tried to chat up them up earlier that day.

"As I turned to sit on the toilet and I was naked there was this man about this far away. A foot, two feet away. Standing there. I'll never forget the image smiling at me holding this machete like a Samurai-style smiling," Cassidy said.

The couple managed to scare off the attacker, then went to police, before hoping on the first flight back home without pressing charges fearing for their safety.

"Because the bathroom was so narrow he couldn't get a big swing. I have cuts I have a scar here, primarily this arm, and my chest, and my fingers got really badly cut up," Cassidy said.

Now a year after healing, this Hunter College adjunct professor refuses to let last summer's near attempted murder and rape stop her from vacationing, including in Jamaica.

"I love the islands, I love island culture. I would go back to Jamaica," Cassidy said.

Read Veronica's account here: http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/it-happened-to-me-i-fought-my-machete-wielding-would-be-rapist-and-won

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