Global probe uncovers chat-group networks that drug and rape partners
An international police operation spanning multiple countries has exposed highly organized networks of men who drug and rape their partners and coordinate assaults through encrypted online chat groups. Led by Europol with involvement from German and British authorities and collaborators in the US, Brazil, Canada, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Spain, the effort—named Project Medusa—has identified more than 150 offenders and victims, opened over 270 leads, and resulted in dozens of arrests (57 reported). The case follows high-profile incidents like Gisèle Pelicot and CNN’s undercover reporting on online networks that teach and enable drugging and rape, highlighting the evolving, cross-border challenge of drug-facilitated sexual violence and the push to take down the platforms that host such material.
