Woman sexually assaulted on Daytona Beach

Law enforcement in Volusia County vowing to increase security, after deputies say another woman was sexually assaulted on the beach, this time a 33-year-old.

Young women on the beach on Saturday were left looking over their shoulders.

"Hearing it a second time is definitely really scary," said Mckenzie French.

"That's terrifying because it could happen to me, you know?" said Sierra Guldi.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood said this time the victim was a prostitute, who initially agreed to have sex with the man. 

But as they walked from Seabreeze Boulevard onto the beach, deputies say the man attacked the woman.

"He eventually beats the living crap out of her," Chitwood said. "Severe facial injuries, and sexually assaults her."

Chitwood said regardless of how they met, no one deserves that. 

Chitwood said, "What right does - even if it's a prostitution issue here - what right does someone have to beat someone just because of their station in life?" [It] doesn't give them the right to be sexually assaulted."

Deputies say the attack happened around 1:30 a.m. on the beach, near Seabreeze Boulevard. 

This comes just about a week after another woman was sexually assaulted on the beach in Daytona Beach Shores, about five miles south. 

In that case, the victim was a 68-year-old woman. 

They say the attacker knocked her unconscious, then sexually assaulted her.

Chitwood said these attacks are similar, but it's not necessarily the same suspect. 

"We want the community to know this is out there," he said. "If we get DNA evidence that links them together, we'll let everybody know. If it's not, and it's two separate attacks, we'll let you know."

Beachgoers say either way, they're not going alone. 

"Yeah, I wouldn't be on the beach without a group, or at least knowing there's a bunch of people around. Not by myself now," French said.

Deputies say they'll be stepping up patrols on the beach, adding more officers and helicopter patrols.