Brutal attack on a cyclist in Nettetal: Police are looking for witnesses!

Brutal attack on a cyclist in Nettetal: Police are looking for witnesses!

A gruesome incident occurred on Monday, August 21, 2023, on a narrow dirt road in Nettetal. A 31-year-old woman was the victim of attempted rape while riding her bicycle around 6 p.m. The incident occurred on the dirt road that connects Dornbuscher Straße with Kölsumer Weg. As news.de reports, an unknown truck driver followed the woman and drove his vehicle into the rear wheel of her bicycle, which caused the woman to fall.

The driver got out, hit the woman several times and dragged her into an adjacent corn field, where he attempted to rape her. Luckily, walkers noticed the situation and intervened. This led to the perpetrator letting go of the woman and reversing the truck onto Dornbuscher Straße. The truck was described as reddish or orange in color with a taller, light-colored body, which is helping police in their search.

Public search and support of the police

The police in Viersen are currently investigating and have announced that the case will be presented on the ZDF program “Aktenzeichen XY – unsolved” on Wednesday, July 30th. Citizens who may have been traveling in Nettetal in the summer of 2023 and who have information about this incident are asked to come forward. A phantom photo of the suspect has already been published on the NRW wanted portal, and the police are asking for information on 02162/377-0. Information is crucial to solving this horrific act.

The increasing cases of violence against women highlight a serious social problem. According to the report “Monitor Violence against Women – Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany”, which was presented on December 3, 2024, the problem of gender-based violence remains alarming. This report is carried out by the Gender-Based Violence Reporting Center of the German Institute for Human Rights. The reporting shows developments in the period from 2020 to 2022 and highlights the efforts of the federal and state governments to improve the situation.

Social responsibility

In light of such frightening incidents, it is important that we think about how we can better protect women, not just as individuals but as a society. Reporting on violent attacks and public discussion are important to raise awareness and initiate necessary changes. If more people are more aware and stand up for women's rights, we can hope that future incidents like the one in Nettetal can be prevented.

Follow the reporting and get actively involved in the discussion about violence against women. It is up to us to act responsibly.