Italy: Girl Raped on Train

Milan, Italy’s second-largest city, is getting out of hand when it comes to crime. This morning, a 21-year-old woman found herself alone in the same carriage in the middle of the morning with an Egyptian man who suddenly sexually attacked her. The suspect, who is 36 years old, has been arrested.

The below article from today’s Il Messaggero, is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.ilmessaggero.it/italia/milano_ragazza_violentata_treno_regionale_milano_treviglio_arrestato_egiziano_ultime_notizie-7359437.html

Student raped on regional train to Milan, 36-year-old commuter arrested: “He pinned me between the seat and window”

In custody an Egyptian in Italy legally

Saturday, 22 April 2023 9:14-Last update at 19:16

Yet another attack on trains in Lombardy, where a student, 21 years old, suffered sexual violence at the hands of an unknown person encountered at a station on a regional train in transit to Milan via Treviglio in the province of Bergamo The young girl, however, managed to find the strength to resist, hitting the man and fleeing. After her report on the day of the incident, on April 5, the police today have arrested  the alleged rapist, a 36-year-old Egyptian.

 The man, according to the charges, first reportedly politely gave information (to the girl), gaining her trust, and then suddenly attacked her. The 36-year-old was a commuter on the Treviglia line. He has no record, has legal residence, (and) is a pizza chef in Pioltello in the province of Milan but lives in the Lombardy capital (Milan). He was arrested at his home on the northern periphery of the city, after being located, identified, and recognized by the victim thanks to video surveillance images. According to the charges, when the student boarded the train, in the mid-morning, he, who was seated on the platform with her, reportedly gave her some information, advising her to take the same train as him, which would take her on the right route to her home. The violence occurred later as she was looking for a train conductor to ask for confirmation on her travel with the train already in motion, and she met the same man in a train carriage, who invited her to sit near him on the upper level of the two-level carriage. According to what was told to the Mobile Squad (police) who conducted the investigation along with the railway police, the man attacked her on the stretch between Porta Garibaldi and Porta Vittoria. After her resistance, in which she managed to free herself and escape, looking for help, he disappeared, getting off at the Forlanini stop. But his face was one that frequently (appeared) and was recorded in the surveillance cameras several times. 

After the technical identification, thanks to facial recognition software in use by the police, a name and address came up. Telephone records then confirmed his presence that day at that time. Also a garment seized, apparently a sweatshirt, is reportedly like the girl had described. Now the 36-year-old, arrested upon an order of preventative custody issued by an investigating judge in Milan, is in jail awaiting validation of the arrest. “Once again, technology, using the video camera, has shown itself to be a great assistance in investigations,” commented Romano La Russa, regional counselor for security. “The Lombardy region is committed to the Safe Stations project to strengthen safety thanks to the use of local police. After Lecco and Varese, we hope that the positive example of these territories will push other provinces to join.” Security on trains is an important topic,” said Franco Lucente, regional counselor for Transport and Sustainable Mobility. “Without doubt, the available personnel is not sufficient to satisfy and cover all the routes. For this (reason), in concert with Trenord, I am evaluating the fixed presence of the military on the convoys, which certainly will work as a deterrent.”