A disturbing account of an alleged sexual assault in Monaco has carried with it a message that deserves to be heard far beyond the circumstances of one night: report it, speak out and do not assume that freezing in fear means you did anything wrong…
Rawell Saidi, known in France through reality television programmes including Les Marseillais South Africa, has said publicly that she was surrounded by four men while alone and waiting for a driver after an evening out in Monaco.
As reported by multiple French media sources, including Public and Voici, Saidi said the men began touching her and that one grabbed her face. She described becoming unable to react despite an overwhelming instinct to escape.
According to her account, the arrival of her driver provided an opportunity to get away. As she attempted to reach the vehicle, Saidi alleges that one man put his hand beneath her skirt and sexually assaulted her. She managed to push past the group and enter the car.
“I couldn’t react, I was frozen,” she later explained.
That sentence may be one of the most important elements of her testimony. Being physically strong, confident or even trained to defend yourself does not guarantee how the body will respond when confronted by sudden danger. Saidi, who has experience in boxing, described nevertheless becoming paralysed by fear.
After returning home, Saidi said she initially experienced feelings of guilt and repeatedly replayed what had happened. Supported by family and friends, she went to Monaco police the following morning and filed a complaint.
As reported by multiple sources, she subsequently praised the way Monegasque officers received her complaint and said investigators would examine Monaco’s extensive CCTV network in an effort to identify the four men.
Monaco-Matin has also reported the incident without identifying the woman involved.
Saidi’s decision to identify herself publicly transforms an individual allegation into a wider conversation. Her message is straightforward: behaviour of this kind should not simply be accepted, minimised or forgotten.
“I’m very proud of myself,” she said of reporting the incident, adding: “In 2026, I’m not letting anything slide anymore.”
There is an important message here for any woman who experiences sexual assault or harassment. You do not have to shout. You do not have to fight back. You do not have to behave in a particular way for what happened to matter.
And reporting it, whether immediately or later, can give investigators the opportunity to establish what happened and potentially prevent someone else experiencing the same thing.
Saidi found the courage to come forward. Her hope now is that other women will feel able to do the same.
Image: Rawell Saidi Instagram