More women come forward with reports of sexual assault by boys on fatbikes in Amsterdam
The number of reports of women being sexually assaulted while running in and around Amsterdam parks has almost doubled since Friday. Amsterdam police have said that they have now received over 40 reports from women who have been slapped on the backside by boys on fatbikes. It was reported last week that 24 women had come forward regarding the incidents.
Police said before the weekend that the culprits are often young boys. The boys often film themselves doing the act and post them on social media. The message from the police from last week was widely shared, and the call for people to share their experiences regarding these incidents seems to have worked. "It's brave of these people to sound the alarm," police said.
Most of the sexual assault incidents occurred in and around the Rembrandtpark, but similar incidents also happened at other parks in the city. Police called on the culprits to “stop this behavior immediately” and warned that a conviction could result in community service or prison time.
Police added on Instagram that thus far they have only received reports. They reminded people that this is different from pressing charges for the incidents.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times
