Australian woman gang raped in Paris before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games

To protect the woman’s privacy, the French authorities are sharing little information.

However, a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said a 25-year-old Australian woman had told them she had been raped. The investigation is ongoing and relies on video footage and DNA traces, which “should make it possible to find out very quickly what happened and arrest those responsible,” foreign newspaper reports said.

Meanwhile, French media reported that five men had raped the woman.

Without naming the victim, the prosecution added in its statement that the alleged assault is believed to have taken place between Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20.

Disoriented, “partially torn” clothing

According to French newspapers, the “disoriented” woman sought refuge in a kebab restaurant in the Pigalle district of Paris on Saturday. Her dress was “partially torn” and she was wearing it “upside down”. Seeing her plight, the restaurant owners called for help and the fire brigade arrived on the scene. They took care of her and took her to hospital for a medical examination.

Meanwhile, the Australian Embassy in Paris said it had offered consular assistance to the woman who was attacked in the French capital.

Bad time

This incident comes at a particularly bad time for Paris security authorities, as the Olympic Games begin in just a few days. Security officials are already battling potential threats such as terrorist attacks, cyber threats and a possible labor strike ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, a report appeared in Guardian quoted Australian Chief of Mission Anna Meares as saying that there was no danger to members of her Olympic team, but that they had been told to be careful when leaving the athletes’ village.

According to the report, Meares said: “I have been informed that it sounds horrific. Of course, our thoughts are with the woman affected and we hope that she will receive care and support during her traumatic experience.”

Protests broke out in early June after a 12-year-old Jewish girl was allegedly raped in a Paris suburb. Politicians, who linked the crime to growing anti-Semitism in France, strongly condemned it at the time.