American student says she was raped in Vietnam, pressured to drop case against wealthy suspect

August 20, 2026 / 7:38 AM EDT

/ AP

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Hanoi, Vietnam — Vietnam has charged a man with rape after an American student said she was assaulted while in her bed during a group holiday.Nguyen Thi Quynh Tam, 24, said she was raped on July 5 and pressured by the man's family to accept money and not go to police. She said the police also initially urged her to settle the matter privately. The Associated Press does not usually identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted. Her candor is unusual for Vietnam, where sexual violence is rarely discussed publicly, but she said she wanted to speak out to help protect other women. "I'm doing this not just for me. But for everybody else that has been harmed," said Tam.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Tam wipes tears during an interview with The Associated Press in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Aug. 13, 2026.