Wellington Police investigating the attempted abduction in Mt Cook this week want to hear from people who recognise a distinctive black fabric featuring white sculls.
Detective Constable Terry Fraser, Wellington CIB, says the bloodstained material was left at the scene by a man who grabbed the 22-year-old female student as she was walking home along Wallace Street, about 2.30am yesterday.
The offender put the fabric around the young woman's throat and dragged her onto a section of a property and tried to strangle her. The woman grappled with him and used great presence of mind to scratch the man's face with her house keys, causing him to flee from the scene.
"There are two things the public can help us with. We're looking for a man with recent and unexplained scratches or marks on his face, and we're looking for someone who can tell us about the fabric left behind," Detective Constable Fraser says.
It's possible the fabric was discarded as part of someone's rubbish, but police can't exclude the possibility it was part of a scarf, bandana or other piece of clothing owned or used by the attacker.
Detective Constable Fraser says the victim is recovering from her ordeal. She has a lot of swelling around her throat, bruises and cuts.
If you can help with information, please call Detective Constable Fraser, Wellington CIB on 04 381 2000.