A mother has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a parasail operator while on a holiday in Tunisia, reports The Mirror.
Michelle Wilson, 52, from Southport, Merseyside, UK, claims the operator inappropriately touched her and pressed himself against her during what was meant to be an exciting parasail ride.
Michelle had intended to enjoy a tandem parasail flight with a friend, but was informed that due to windy conditions, they would need to fly separately, each with an operator, according to The Mirror.
She noted that her friend went first “and had a great time, with no problems”, observing that there was ample space between her friend and the operator.
However, Michelle’s experience was starkly different, reports The Mirror.
The mother-of-three recounted: “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.
“His legs straddled around me, he had one hand up on the parachute, the other wasn’t. Then I felt him touch my leg,” reports The Mirror.
She went on: “He was groping me and moving back and forth into me and 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,” reports The Mirror.
Michelle broke down in tears after landing and reported the incident to the manager of the water sports centre before contacting local police.
The £6,000 (approximately €6,900) easyJet package holiday was booked for Michelle, her 17-year-old daughter, her 16-year-old twin boys, and her daughter’s 17-year-old friend, reports The Mirror.
She stated that the incident left her unable to enjoy the remainder of the trip.
She added: “As women you expect a bit of banter from men in these countries, but this wasn’t banter, it was a sexual assault,” reports The Mirror.
Michelle believes the alleged perpetrator has been arrested, and her insurance company and the Foreign Office are now involved in the matter.
An easyJet spokesperson 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,” reports The Mirror.
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