The victim, a woman in her 30s who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been in Bognor town centre on the evening of Thursday, January 1 when she entered a vehicle near the Tesco Express store in Station Road.
Sussex Police said the vehicle, believed to have been silver or grey in colour, stopped in a layby off the A259 near the junction with Marsh Lane where the driver then sexually assaulted the victim.
The victim was able to run to safety before reporting the matter to police. She is now receiving support from specially-trained officers.
The assault is believed to have happened between 11.30pm on January 1 and 1am on January 2. Police said the driver was a man in his 30s or 40s, of South Asian ethnicity, and with short dark curly hair.
A force spokesman said: “Officers are keen to trace anyone who may have been in the Station Road area near Tesco, or anyone who may have witnessed the vehicle as it left Bognor and approached the bus stop off the A259. They would particularly like to speak with anyone who may have captured dash cam or doorbell camera footage from these areas around the relevant times.”
Detective Inspector Becki Buckley said: “This was a highly distressing incident for the victim, and we are ensuring she has appropriate support in place as our investigation progresses.
“Our enquiries are ongoing, and we are keen to speak with anyone who may have information about what happened or may have seen something suspicious in the area.
“We urge anyone who can help our investigation to come forward.”
Chief Inspector Adam McCaig, Arun and Chichester District Commander, said: “Tackling violence against women and girls remains a key priority for us, and we are committed to supporting the victim and doing everything we can to identify the suspect.
“We understand incidents like this can cause concern locally, and we want the community to know that we are taking this extremely seriously.
“We continue to work closely with our partners as the investigation progresses and will have officers conducting additional patrols across the area over the weekend to provide reassurance.
“We urge people to continue to look out for their friends and each other, and if you have any concerns about your own safety or the safety of another person, please do approach our officers or call us on 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”
Information can be reported to Sussex Police online or on 101, quoting Operation Cardington.
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