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

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

A 26-year-old Brazilian woman was allegedly attacked by a man in earlier this month in a Paris suburb train. The incident occurred in the morning in a nearly empty carriage.

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