A 25-year-old Australian woman was reportedly gang raped in the streets of Paris in the early hours of Sunday by assailants who had an "African appearance." No arrests have yet been made, but prosecutors have confirmed that a major investigation has been launched into the attack as of Tuesday.
Police responded to a call from a local kebab shop where the unnamed woman was visibly distressed and cowering in a corner. There are reports that her dress was ripped as well as inside out and she was believed to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that could have been given to her to facilitate the alleged attack.
She told police that she had been drinking in bars and clubs around the city before a group of 5 men "of African appearance" approached her and brutally raped her in an unspecified location, per Daily Mail. She also said her phone had been stolen. Bystanders at the shop described her as "disoriented" and unable to provide details on the attack while she was speaking with police.
After police arrived at the scene, the woman was taken to a hospital to be examined. A police spokesman said the woman was supposed to return home to Australia Monday but instead remained in Paris to help with the investigation.
Police responded to a call from a local kebab shop where the unnamed woman was visibly distressed and cowering in a corner. There are reports that her dress was ripped as well as inside out and she was believed to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that could have been given to her to facilitate the alleged attack.
She told police that she had been drinking in bars and clubs around the city before a group of 5 men "of African appearance" approached her and brutally raped her in an unspecified location, per Daily Mail. She also said her phone had been stolen. Bystanders at the shop described her as "disoriented" and unable to provide details on the attack while she was speaking with police.
"Her recollection of the evening is extremely hazy, but she says up to five men raped her," said an investigating source. "She was seen wandering around Pigalle, while in a state of some confusion and distress. Staff working in a kebab shop saw that her dress was on backwards when she went inside to seek help."
CCTV footage captured the woman, and, shockingly, one of the alleged attackers entering the kebab shop. The footage showed the victim begging customers for help as a group formed around her in the corner and tried to calm her down. A black man then entered and approached the woman, giving her a pat on the back before ordering food. The woman told another diner that he was one of the suspects who attacked her and the diner became physical with the suspect. Workers at the kebab shop tried to intervene and the suspect fled.After police arrived at the scene, the woman was taken to a hospital to be examined. A police spokesman said the woman was supposed to return home to Australia Monday but instead remained in Paris to help with the investigation.
