19-year-old reports sexual assault near corso Como nightclub in Milan on Ferragosto night

The assault

A 19-year-old Milan woman reported being sexually assaulted in the early hours of Sunday, 16 August, during Ferragosto celebrations in the corso Como nightlife district. According to her account to carabinieri, she had gone to a nightclub with a group of friends to celebrate the holiday evening. Inside the club, identified by La Stampa as the Hollywood disco, she met a man she estimated to be around 40 years old and described as likely from Eastern Europe. The two drank together in the VIP area and danced before leaving the venue around closing time.

Once outside, at the corner of corso Como and via de Tocqueville, the situation changed. According to the woman's account, the man assaulted her at the rear of the building, forcing her to submit to a sexual act. The suspect had already fled by the time rescuers arrived on the scene.

Emergency response

The emergency call was placed at 5:14 AM on Sunday, 16 August. An ambulance and carabinieri from the Porta Garibaldi station arrived at the scene shortly after. The woman, in a state of shock, had stopped a passerby on the street, telling them "Aiuto, mi hanno violentata" (Help, I've been raped). The passerby alerted emergency services.

Medical personnel from 118 transported the woman to the Clinica Mangiagalli, which houses Milan's sexual violence support center. She underwent medical examinations and received initial psychological support. The formal complaint had not yet been filed as of the morning of 16 August, but could be formalized in the coming hours.

Investigation

Carabinieri are reviewing surveillance cameras from the area and interviewing the woman's friends and any potential witnesses. Investigators plan to analyze footage from the club's own video surveillance system to reconstruct the events and identify the suspect. The woman may be interviewed again shortly, as provided under Italy's Code Red procedure for sexual violence cases.

The suspect remains at large. He is described as approximately 40 years old and of Eastern European origin. No arrest has been reported. The investigation is ongoing, with carabinieri working to confirm the dynamics of the assault and give a name and face to the attacker.