A woman who says she was sexually assaulted in a St. John's university elevator last fall said she hasn't been able to sleep without the aid of sedatives since the incident.

Farhood Azarsina was charged with sexual assault in connection with the event, which occurred at Memorial University last September. He appeared in provincial court in St. John's Thursday.

At the time of the incident, Azarsina told CBC News he regretted it but said it was "nothing serious." He said he merely kissed the woman's breasts and that the incident was over in "less than a second."

But the complainant, who cannot be named under a publication ban, told CBC News that the event was indeed serious.

"He went in to give me a bit of a half-hug, to get my arms out of the way, and the first thing that I thought was: 'This is not normal; this is not right,'" she said.

"Then his head went down and my thing was, 'This has to end now. This is my space, and you're in it, and make it stop.'"

Azarsina has not yet entered a plea, but his lawyer, Brian Wentzell, told the court that he will be asking for a discharge after that happens, in a court appearance now scheduled for Jan. 21.

A discharge would mean that Azarsina, a graduate engineering student from Iran, would not have a criminal record.

Speaking outside the courtroom, the complainant said the event has changed her life. She said she has been prescribed sedatives, because she has trouble sleeping at night.

She said although she does not want to meet Azarsina, she said she does have a message.

"For you to say that what you did was no big deal, and you meant nothing of it, is possibly the most ignorant, arrogant thing that I have ever heard," she said.