On Sunday, Saudi police in Al Dammam arrested a man who rubbed his genitals against a woman at a local supermarket, Sabq news site reported.
The arrest came hours after CCTV footage capturing the incident went viral on Saudi Twitter, prompting the kingdom's Attorney General, Saud Al-Moajab, to issue an immediate arrest warrant against the frotteur.
In an official statement on the matter, spokesman for Al Sharqiya's police department, Ziad bin Abdul Wahab Al Rugaiti, said officers were able to track the defendant down and have since placed him in custody.
"He is a national in his thirties and will now face legal action and proceedings in the case," he added.
Speaking to Sabq news site, the victim's husband said the incident took place last Wednesday while his wife was shopping for groceries at a local store.
"She paid and was walking out of the place when the harasser came from behind her and touched her in an intimate area. We immediately reported the incident to the police department in South Dammam," the man said.
The clip of the assault shocked many people, considering it came soon after a vile car assault in the city of Al Khobar. The latter incident saw a man approach a woman's car in an animalistic way. He then spat and licked his spit off her window, flipped her off, and pulled up his thawb as if about to reveal his genitals.
The fact that both cases went viral on social media in the same weekend angered people even more. It also led many to question the reasons behind the increase in sexual harassment cases in the kingdom despite the fact that authorities have been trying to curb them.
Some believe the main reason is lack of proper implementation of the country's anti-sexual harassment law. They explained that news of arrests get reported after cases go viral but the legal outcomes or punishments are never disclosed.
Others think an additional reason could be that the majority of victims are forced into silence by their families and end up not reporting cases of harassment.
Both ways, Saudis are furious over the two recent incidents and took to social media to express their feelings.
"Where are those who say if she were dressed modestly she wouldn't have been harassed?"
"She's dressed modestly and minding her own business and this animal harassed her. What's your excuse now??"
"It won't stop until these 'laws' are actually implemented strictly"
A few words to those still blaming victims of abuse
"Stop blaming the victim"
Saudi authorities have issued a warning in the wake of recent incidents
In the wake of the latest cases, local authorities issued a strong-worded warning against harassment in all its forms.
According to Saudi Gazette, the kingdom's Public Prosecution warned that anyone who is found guilty of harassing women will be handed out severe punishment.
Under the currently implemented Saudi criminal law, harassment of women is punishable by imprisonment for two years and a fine of 100,000 riyals ($26,662). Anyone caught committing the crime for a second time can be imprisoned for five years and fined 300,000 riyals ($79,986).