Video of woman slapped for refusing to be harassed sexually sparks outrage

Disturbing footage showing a man slapping a young woman in the face after refusing his sexual advances has drawn a variety of reactions.

The horrifying attack on student Marie Laguerre, 22, has caused national outrage across France and prompted Marie to call for a clampdown on sexual harassment.

Marie was walking home last week when an unidentified bearded white man "made dirty noises, commented and whistled" as she walked past a packed cafe in Paris.

Marie said she shouted 'Shut up' back at him and later admitted: "I didn’t even think he had even heard me."

The man then grabbed an ashtray from a café table and threw it at Marie, who shouted more insults, as people in the cafe watched.

"I felt hatred," Marie told Le Parisien. "I refused to be demeaned, it was humiliating. I refused to look down, I looked him right in the eyes, I was not going to apologise."

The man then stormed over to Marie and slapped her around the face, leaving her with swelling around the cheekbones.

At this point, a few of the men sitting outside the cafe rush over and one even grabs a chair as if he is about to hit the attacker with it.

A group of them shout at the man and they seem to get into a heated exchange with him.

Marie stayed on the other side of the cafe and walks out of shot before the video cuts out.

Marie said: "I was in pain, but it happened in a few seconds so I did not realise it right away."

Many people claimed they didn't think the witnesses intervened quickly enough, but Marie does not agree.

She said: "To all those who say that the witnesses did not react well enough – everything happened very quickly and they did not have time to understand the situation.

"The attacker was dangerous. After the attack, I came back and the witnesses were very supportive, please don't lynch them."