An Australian woman claims she was sexually assaulted while on holiday in Bali.
The woman, hailing from Perth, has not been identified for legal reasons and is believed to be 41 years old.
Denpasar police say they are investigating the woman’s claim and that she had come with a friend to a Bali police station in tears on Wednesday to file a report for the attack. Local media reports that she is refusing to have a physical examination.
“We have conducted investigation at the crime scene. We are continuing with that. But we need a medical report as evidence,” Denpasar Police Commissioner Hadi Purnomo said, as quoted by SevenWest Media.
“In our legal process, we need proof, we need evidence. Only a medical report can prove that she was raped. It’s not easy to prove if only based on a statement, as there is no witness.
“We will try to persuade her. We will try to make her understand that a medical report is very important for police to do the investigation.”
The woman says the incident happened when she was leaving from Paddy’s Bar in Kuta early on Tuesday and was walking on Jl. Legian. An alleged ojek driver (motorbike taxi) offered her a free ride to her hotel, before assaulting her, she said.
AAP reports that security guards at the Jayakarta, a Leigan hotel, heard screaming around the scene and that one guard ran to help. But the alleged attacker had already fled, according to the security guard.
It remains unclear if the woman is still in Bali or has returned to Australia.
