Suspect arrested after viral video shows attempted rape on Paris train

PARIS (AP) — A suspect was arrested this week in connection with the attempted rape of a woman on a train near Paris after a video of the incident went viral on social media, according to judicial officials.

The Créteil prosecutor’s office told the Associated Press on Sunday that the suspect had been taken into custody on Friday as part of the investigation.

The incident reignited the debate on sexual violence on public transport in France, which has increased in recent years.

A 26-year-old Brazilian woman was allegedly attacked by a man earlier this month on a Paris commuter train. The incident happened in the morning in an almost empty car.

French media reported that the woman said she was sexually assaulted, slapped and bitten. Another passenger rushed to intervene and began filming the scene with her cell phone as the man fled. The video was then shared on social media.

According to a recent government report, the number of victims of sexual violence on public transport has increased by 86% since 2016.