Jean-Luc Boujon (in Grenoble) 9:42 a.m., March 29, 2024

They call him the scooter rapist. For two months, a series of rapes and sexual assaults have plunged Grenoble into psychosis. The procedure is always the same: a man on a scooter rushes towards young women to make them fall and attack them. The people of Grenoble change their habits while waiting for the rapist to be arrested. 

Psychosis spreads to Grenoble. For several weeks, a man in his twenties has attacked at least nine women in the streets of the city center and neighboring towns. His modus operandi is always the same. The man attacks late at night or early in the morning, following his victims on scooters before charging at them. The latter then fall to the ground and are attacked. If the police claim to be tracking down the man who is now nicknamed "the scooter rapist", the Grenoble residents admit to being terrified at the idea of ​​meeting him. 

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“It’s scary to go out at night”

On social networks, Célia, a 26-year-old student, sees the reports passing by. “Beware of the scooter rapist” we can read on one post, with the description of the suspect: “A young man, in his twenties, 1m70, red hair, pale complexion, dressed in black.” 

“It’s true that it’s scary to go out in the evening,” she confides at the microphone of Europe 1. We tell ourselves at any moment, he could push us, we lose consciousness and afterwards, we don’t know what that it will happen. I changed my behavior a lot. For example, I go out a lot less. If tomorrow someone says to me: 'We're going out to a bar in town' and I know that I have to go home alone afterwards, then I won't do it," continues the young woman. 

Self-defense solution

Several of these attacks took place near the home of Sarah, a young mother. “We are afraid, we worry for our children. But I am afraid for myself in fact, quite simply” she admits. "I pay attention to men on scooters, even men walking behind me. I'm very scared, and I'll tend to turn around several times." 

So, faced with psychosis, Sarah imagines solutions to protect herself. “We are thinking about taking a small tear gas bomb. I had already thought about it and I think I can take it now.” The Grenoble police are very involved in this matter, increasing the number of cross-checks of testimonies and the viewing of video surveillance films for several days.