Germany pledges to protect refugees after reported rape case

The German government says it would seek to ensure refugees fleeing conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere don’t become victims of crime in the wake of a reported rape case that triggered a public outcry

BERLIN -- The German government said Wednesday that it would seek to ensure refugees fleeing conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere don’t become victims of crime following a reported rape case that triggered a public outcry.

Authorities in the western city of Duesseldorf confirmed that a young woman who was housed on a hotel boat for refugees on the Rhine river was allegedly sexually assaulted by two men earlier this month.

Antonia Massenberg of the Duesseldorf prosecutors office said that both suspects are in detention but declined to confirm German media reports that the victim is an 18-year-old Ukrainian, citing privacy reasons.

Sascha Lawrenz , a spokeswoman for Germany's Interior Ministry, told reporters in Berlin that authorities are “working to ensure that people who seek shelter here are able to get it.”