Woman raped in Square, say police

Police are investigating the alleged rape of a young woman in The Square over the weekend.

The victim, aged under 20, was allegedly sexually assaulted between 2am and 3am on Sunday, near Palmerston North City Council.

Detective Sergeant Simon Harrison said it would take a few days to look over surveillance footage from cameras in the area.

"We are confident from the leads we have to follow that we will identify the person [responsible]."

The woman reported the incident at Palmerston North Police station at 5.35am on Sunday.

"As you can imagine, she has been through a traumatic event and was very upset, but she didn't present any visible injuries," Mr Harrison said.

Police would not elaborate on the circumstance surrounding the sexual assault or whether the assailant was known to the victim.

An area between The Square and the PNCC building was cordoned off while police investigated the scene yesterday morning.

"The council has made great steps to ensure the safety of people in The Square, but we all have to be mindful of security at all times and [in all] places," Mr Harrison said.

- © Fairfax NZ News