A suspect has been arrested in connection with an attempted rape on a Paris-area train earlier this month, authorities confirmed Friday.The arrest follows the widespread circulation of a passenger-recorded video depicting the alleged assailant fleeing the scene.
The incident has sparked renewed concern over the rising incidence of sexual violence on public transportation in France. According to a recent government report,reported cases of sexual violence on public transport have increased by 86% since 2016.
The Creteil prosecutor’s office told the Associated Press that the suspect, taken into custody Friday, identified himself to police as a 26-year-old Egyptian national, though he was not carrying identification at the time of his arrest.
The alleged attack occurred on a suburban train near Paris earlier this month, targeting a 26-year-old Brazilian woman identified by BBC News as Jhordana Dias.Dias told Le Parisien that the man boarded the train, pushed her, and attempted to pull down her underwear.
A fellow passenger intervened and began filming the incident as the man exited the train at a station. French media reports indicate Dias also stated she was slapped and bitten during the assault. The video was subsequently shared widely on social media, prompting the examination that led to the arrest.
