American Student in Vietnam Charges Local Man with Assault

In Hanoi, Vietnam, a man faces charges of rape following an accusation by Nguyen Thi Quynh Tam, an American student who alleged she was assaulted during a group holiday. Tam, aged 24, claimed that the attack happened on July 5, and she experienced pressure from the man’s family to settle the matter privately with a financial offer. She also reported initial encouragement from police to resolve the situation outside legal channels.

Tam’s decision to publicize her case is seen as rare in Vietnam, a country where discussions about sexual violence are uncommon. She expressed her desire to speak out primarily to protect others. “I’m doing this not only for myself but for everyone else affected,” she stated during a tearful interview in Hanoi.

The Associated Press documented Tam’s statements through interviews, a police complaint, and her communications with officials from the United States and Vietnam. After seeking support from U.S. authorities and a U.S. lawmaker, officials confirmed that the accused, a 23-year-old man, was charged. Vietnam’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Pham Thu Hang, noted that legal proceedings were underway, adhering to the country’s laws, but did not address allegations of police pressure on Tam.

Tam, who relocated to the United States at age five, had returned to Vietnam in May for a banking internship, aiming to reconnect with her roots. She embarked on a trip on July 4 with a group to a resort in Phu Tho, near Hanoi. Locked out of her expected sleeping quarters, she settled in a different bedroom but awoke to unwanted attention from the accused.

Her report states that despite her objections, the man persisted. Tam defended herself verbally and physically but was eventually overpowered. That night, she messaged her boyfriend in the U.S. about the assault. She shared how acquaintances informed her about the accused’s influential family, which left her uncertain about proceeding further.

The man later offered an apology both through a note and a phone call, evidence of which the AP has verified. Later interactions between Tam’s family associates and the accused’s father included monetary offers to avoid police involvement. In communications with the AP, the father mentioned both parties’ intimacy but denied any pressure on Tam to drop charges.

Upon formally reporting the incident on July 21, police reenacted the situation with Tam at the scene, causing her distress. She recounted feeling a profound personal loss associated with the location. Police again advised private settlement options during her stay in a Hanoi hospital for mental health care.

In recounting her experience at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Tam expressed dissatisfaction at being advised only to report to Vietnamese authorities or return to the U.S., further deterred by references to lengthily unresolved cases. However, follow-up action from her father’s outreach to their senator, Ted Cruz, resulted in an apology from the embassy, though claims of U.S. support were contested by her father in communications exchanged in July.

The U.S. State Department confirmed awareness of the case but withheld specifics due to legal and privacy constraints, emphasizing that “safety and security” remain paramount.