In a shocking incident just days before Paris hosts the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games, an Australian woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men in the city.
According to the France’s Le Parisien newspaper, the 25-year-old woman entered a local restaurant on the renowned Boulevard de Clichy in the Pigalle neighbourhood on Saturday, appearing disoriented and wearing her dress backwards. Paris authorities confirmed that a “gang-rape” likely occurred between Friday and Saturday, with an investigation currently underway.
Local media reported that the distressed woman sought refuge in a kebab shop in Pigalle, with her dress partially torn. The restaurant owners immediately called for help, and she was attended to by firefighters before being taken to Bichat Hospital for a medical examination.
This incident adds to the mounting security concerns as Paris prepares for the Olympics, with officials already on high alert for threats ranging from terrorist attacks and cyberattacks to crowd crushes and potential labour strikes.
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Strath Gordon, Chief of Public Affairs and Communication for Australia’s Olympic team, stated that Australian athletes in Paris had been informed of the alleged attack. “They are advised not to wear team kit when in public places,” Gordon said in an email on Tuesday. He reassured that the athletes had not received any threats since arriving in France and were “getting on with their preparations for the Games.”
The Australian consulate and French police are providing support to the victim. Anna Meares, the Australian chef de mission, expressed her shock and concern over the incident. “I have been informed; it sounds horrific. Obviously, our hearts go out to the woman involved, and we hope she’s being cared for and supported in the trauma she’s experienced,” Meares said on Tuesday morning.
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Meares reiterated that team members had been thoroughly briefed on security and safety precautions. “What information we’re passing on to our athletes is that security presence is really, really high and that’s in order for them to act as quickly as possible to keep them safe,” she said. “We don’t yet have any feedback from our athletes that they have felt unsafe. We are encouraging them, if they go out of the village, not to go out on their own, not to wear team uniform, just to wear plain clothes.”
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working to confirm the details of the incident. “The Australian embassy in Paris is making urgent inquiries with French authorities following reports of an Australian citizen assaulted in Paris,” a spokesperson stated.
This incident follows another disturbing case in June, when the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a Paris suburb triggered protests and condemnation from politicians, who linked the crime to rampant antisemitism in France.
