A St. John's woman is shocked but mystified by homophobic graffiti sprayed over her family's home and vehicle this week.

"It's very, very disheartening to think that Newfoundlanders would do such a horrible, horrible act of crime," said Patricia Courage, who woke up Thursday to find profanity, the word "queer" and a drawing of an erect penis sprayed on her home.

'They are very low people,' Patricia Courage said of graffiti sprayed across her St. John's home.
(CBC)

"They are very low people to [do] such horrible things."

The word "fag" was also sprayed across one side of Courage's SUV.

Courage said she does not know why her house was the only residence on Terra Nova Road to be spray-painted. As far as she knows, no one living inside is gay.

Her daughter suggested that the vandal may have mistakenly thought someone else lived there.

"I was completely shocked," said neighbour Laura Cooper. "We lived in this neighbourhood for almost a year and I can't see that happening to someone here."

Activist Gemma Schlamp-Hickey said she is appalled by the incident, but does not want anyone in the gay community to be frightened.

"I wouldn't want other gays and lesbians to be scared back into the closet because of this incident," she said. "They need to get out there, they need to talk to their local politicians and they need to take action."

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is investigating the case.