Monday, January 27, 2014

Australian student raped in Sri Lanka

Ambalangoda beach, Sri Lanka. Photo: Markus Spring/Flickr

Amanda Hoh-January 27, 2014

An Australian university student has reported been raped by a tourist guide during a study excursion in Sri Lanka.

Local media reported on Sunday that police in the southern town of Ambalangoda were searching for a man suspected of raping the young woman on a beach.

Sri Lankan internet newspaper Colombo Page said the student was from the Australian National University (ANU), and was among a group of 15 Australian students conducting studies in the coastal town.

She had been working as a volunteer at a turtle hatchery as part of an academic project since last December, another Sri Lankan news website, Daily Mirror, reported.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) confirmed they had been told of the incident.

“We are providing consular assistance to a young Australian woman in Sri Lanka. The family seeks privacy at this time.”

The ANU was investigating the reports, a spokesman from ANU told Fairfax Media.

“At this stage we're still checking if there are any students on university work in Sri Lanka,” the spokesman said.