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British woman 'forced to lock herself in her room' after allegedly being sexually assaulted in Dominican Republic hotel

'Being called Sexy English while having my shorts torn and pulled within the hotel grounds is not exactly what I paid for,' says the 25-year-old

Matt Payton
Tuesday 17 May 2016 22:17 BST
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Gemma Khan, 25, was holidaying in the Caribbean  with friends
Gemma Khan, 25, was holidaying in the Caribbean with friends

A woman on holiday said she was "forced to lock herself in her room" at a Dominican Republic hotel following being sexually assaulted twice.

Gemma Khan, 25, was staying at a luxury hotel with three friends when she was first accosted next to the swimming pool while sunbathing.

Ms Khan says she was approached by two local men, one of which tried to undo her bikini and pull down her shorts, The Mirror reported.

The football centre manager from Halesowen said: "I put on a pair of shorts and a croptop and I started walking back to my room. These two men came up to me speaking Spanish.

“One grabbed my shorts and was trying to undo my bikini. I pushed him away and called out for one of the security guards. I then hit him over his shoulder with a beach bag and ran to my room.

“By the time I had reached my room, less than two minutes later, I was so angry I was upset. No one had come to help me. I got glanced at by security and left to defend myself."

Having paid nearly £900 through Thomsons for the two-week holiday, Ms Khan said she had been told the resort was safe for female travellers. She later found out it was open to locals at the weekends.

Two days later, she said she was assaulted by a member of the hotel's staff in the souvenir shop: "A man came up and pressed up against me. I stepped back into the corner of the shop and he started feeling my leg.

"He then offered me a purse to keep quiet about it."

She said: "Being called Sexy English while having my shorts torn and pulled within the hotel grounds is not exactly what I paid for.

"I was left feeling as though it was my own fault. I was treated like trash."

The Independent have contacted Thomsons for comment.

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