An Australian woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men just days before Paris is set to host the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. According to France’s Le Parisien newspaper, the “confused” 25-year-old woman walked into a local restaurant on the famous Boulevard de Clichy in Paris’ Pigalle neighborhood on Saturday wearing her dress upside down. Authorities in Paris have confirmed that the “gang rape” likely took place between Friday and Saturday, and an investigation is currently underway.
Local media reported that the woman took refuge in a kebab shop in the Pigalle district with her clothes partially torn off. The restaurant owners called for help after seeing her condition and firefighters attended to her before she was taken to Bichat hospital for medical check-up.
The timing of the incident is particularly concerning, as security officials are already grappling with a number of potential threats, including terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, crowd crushing, and the impact of a potential labor strike during the Olympics.
Australia’s Olympic team’s head of public relations and communications, Strath Gordon, said Australian athletes in Paris had been informed of the alleged attack. “They are advised not to wear team kit in public places,” Mr Gordon said in an email on Tuesday. He stressed that the athletes had not received any threats since arriving in France and were “continuing to carry on with their preparations for the Games.”
The Australian consulate and French police are providing assistance to the victim. Australian chef de mission Anna Meyers expressed her shock and concern over the incident. “I’ve been told, it sounds horrific. Obviously, our thoughts are with the woman, and we hope that she will be cared for and given the support she needs to cope with the trauma she has experienced,” Ms Meyers said on Tuesday morning.
Ms. Meyers reiterated that team members were fully briefed on safety and security precautions. “What we are giving our athletes is that the security presence is really high and they should take immediate action to keep them safe,” she said. “We have not received any feedback from our athletes yet that they feel unsafe. We are encouraging them that if they go out of the village, they should not go out alone, not wear the team uniform, just wear plain clothes.”
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working to confirm details of the incident. “The Australian Embassy in Paris is making urgent enquiries with French authorities following reports that an Australian citizen was attacked in Paris,” the spokesperson said.
In June, the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a Paris suburb sparked protests and condemnation from politicians who linked the crime to widespread anti-Semitism in France.
