Police in Greece have arrested two Romanian men, aged 19 and 28, following the alleged gang-rape of a 38-year-old British woman in a hotel bedroom in the Laganas area of Zakynthos (Zante). The reported sexual assault occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning, August 25. The suspects are alleged to have filmed the attack and have been transferred to the local prosecutor's office, where they both remain in custody.
Investigation and Response
Police were called to the scene and launched an urgent investigation before detaining the suspects. Zante is a popular party island visited by hundreds of thousands of British tourists every year. As reported by the Daily Mail, local police recently denied they were investigating cases of tourists being raped after a hospital union accused them of lax enforcement.
The force claimed just three cases of rape had been reported by tourists over the last three months. However, the head of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (POEDIN) said medical facilities on the island had seen a spike in tourists that had been attacked. They expressed concern over a rise in sexual violence, reporting that eight female tourists sought medical attention for rape in a span of less than three weeks during August.
Police Statement and Prior Cases
Police said in response: "We are dedicated to investigating every report, protecting victims and reliably informing public opinion, solely based on official and confirmed data."
The recent alleged attack follows a string of investigations in Zante. Just weeks ago, two 18-year-old British women reported being raped by a local tourism worker on the island. They were both taken to hospital for treatment after the alleged attack before one of their mothers flew to Greece to track down the accused man at his place of work. Police have since intervened and an investigation is ongoing.
