An Australian woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men in Paris just days before the city is set to host the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games. According to France's Le Parisien newspaper, the "disoriented" 25-year-old woman entered a local restaurant on the famed Boulevard de Clichy in Paris' Pigalle neighbourhood on Saturday, wearing her dress backwards. Authorities in Paris confirmed that a "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 dress partially torn off. Restaurant owners called for help upon seeing her state, and she was attended to by firefighters before being taken to Bichat Hospital for a medical examination.
The timing of this incident is particularly troubling as security officials are already grappling with a multitude of potential threats, including terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, crowd crushes, and the impact of potential labour strikes during the Olympics.
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,” Mr Gordon said in an email on Tuesday. He emphasized that the athletes had not received any threats since their arrival 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," Ms Meares said on Tuesday morning.
Ms 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.
In June, the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a suburb of Paris triggered protests and sparked condemnations from politicians, who linked the crime to rampant antisemitism in France.