I was sexually assaulted hundreds of feet in air while on paraglide ride during Tunisia holiday… I felt violated & dirty

The Irish Sun

3 days ago

Michelle said the young Tunisian man, who was strapped behind her, was talking to her in Arabic during the sordid attack
MUM 'VIOLATED' I was sexually assaulted hundreds of feet in air while on paraglide ride during Tunisia holiday… I felt violated & dirty
A BRITISH holidaymaker claims she was sexually assaulted in the air by a paraglide operator.
Mum-of-three Michelle Wilson, 52, says the man pressed himself against her and groped her during the thrill ride in Tunisia.
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Michelle Wilson claims she was sexually assaulted in the air by a paraglide operator
Credit: PP.
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Michelle says the man pressed himself against her and groped her during the thrill ride in Tunisia
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Michelle was taken on the flight with a young Tunisian operator strapped behind her
She said: 'I felt violated and dirty and was scared.'
Michelle was taken on the flight with a young Tunisian operator strapped behind her.
Footage shows him positioning himself so he was directly behind Michelle, who was wearing a bikini, and pressing up against her.
Michelle, from Southport, Merseyside, said: 'I could feel the back of my bikini bottoms being pulled and he was pulling the strap. He must have been tightening the harness to get me closer.
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'His legs straddled around me, he had one hand up on the parachute, the other wasn't. Then I felt him touch my leg.
'He was groping me and was moving back and forth into me and was talking to me in Arabic. I felt him pressing against me.
'I kept arching my back. I felt violated and dirty and was scared. He was only a young lad, maybe around 20.
'It was a horrible experience and I was really scared. I felt helpless hanging in the air.'
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She burst into tears when she landed and complained to the water sports centre's manager, then to the local police.
Michelle paid £6,000 for the holiday in Sousse with her daughter, 17, her 16-year-old twin boys and her daughter's friend, also 17.
Tunisia and the island of Djerba
But she said she felt unable to enjoy the rest of her trip and 'didn't feel safe until I was at home'.
She said: 'As women you expect a bit of banter from men in these countries, but this wasn't banter, it was a sexual assault.'
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Michelle believes her attacker has since been arrested.
Her insurance company and the Foreign Office are assisting in the case.
EasyJet said: 'The safety and wellbeing of our customers is a priority, and we are continuing to support Ms Wilson.
'We are also liaising closely with our hotel partner to look into the reports.'
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Michelle said: 'I could feel the back of my bikini bottoms being pulled and he was pulling the strap'
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Footage shows Michelle on the paraglide ride
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The Brit mum said she 'didn't feel safe' for the rest of the holiday
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Michelle said: 'I felt violated and dirty and was scared'