Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)THE separate gang rapes of two under age girls have shocked Andalucia.
In total, 13 youths have been arrested in the two separate incidents – which took place just four days apart.
In the first attack in Baena, Cordoba, a 13-year-old girl was reportedly raped in broad daylight by a group of six youths.
The sickening offence took place behind some unused sports facilities, close to the municipal swimming pool.
The victim’s father revealed that she was lured to the pool, where the gang were waiting. She had previously dated one of the youths.
He showed her explicit footage of the pair having sex on his mobile phone before threatening to show her parents if she refused to cooperate with them.
Of the six arrested, two have subsequently been released. One was too young to be charged and the other was reported to have psychiatric problems.
“Dragged her to an empty corner of the beach before committing the sexual offence”.
The rest have been sent to a centre for juvenile offenders, while the eldest – a 22-year-old man – has been jailed.
Only days later, seven youngsters – aged between 12 and 15 – were arrested in Punta Umbria, Huelva, for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old.
They purportedly dragged her to an empty corner of the beach before committing the sexual offence.
Police confirmed that the attack happened at 2am on Saturday morning when the Virgin del Carmen celebration was in full swing.
The victim confessed her horrific ordeal to her mother before going to the Guardia Civil station to file an official denuncia.
Released
She was immediately taken to the Infanta Elena hospital where a medical examination was undertaken.
Of those arrested, two, once again, were released for being underage.
The other five are aged between 14 and 15 years-old and all those involved in the sexual assault have now been identified.
The subsequent release of the under age youths has reopened the debate regarding the effectiveness of the law that protects minors involved in crimes.
Conservative PP leader Mariano Rajoy has announced he will attempt to repeal the law.
Meanwhile, the Justice Council of Andalucia insists they are ‘exceptional’ crimes and that it is more important to focus on prevention methods and the reinforcement of values both within the family and at school.
It maybe that these crimes are “exceptional” to the Justice Council of Andalucia” but try telling that to the victim and her family? To refer to family values in this case is a further insult to this family, what IS RIDICULOUS is the fact that the Criminal Age of Responsibility in Spain is 16 yrs of age – (and of course the Labour Party in the UK want to adopt this, as if the UK Juvenile Crime Rate and Crime Rate per se being the highest in Europe already isn’t a shameful enough title to own isn’t bad enough)- it should in my humble opinion be lowering it to 8 then maybe all these youths that attack young girls and commit other crimes would face some sort of punishment instead of walking-away laughing, although personally I favour vigilantism and summary justice!
Is Australia men have been charged and arrested to 50 years imprisonment for gang rapes. That should be a universal standard.
In Britain you’d probably get a stern telling off!! Seriously though you’d probably get 5 years but be out in 2 and a half!
I don’t agree with what has happened but just as an observation:
The “SHOCK HORROR” headline states ‘two under age girls’ whereas in fact it is one underage girl. It is my understanding that the legal age here in Spain was recently upped from 12 to 13.
This doesn’t justify the actions of the male purps but I hate to see “THE SUN” style sensationalism taking precedence over the olive press’s usual reporting accuracy.
Wise words from Max; some of these headlines have been ridiculous lately.
the day that the gang rapes of two girls – one 12 and one 13 – is not a “horror” is the day that the Olive Press gives up and shuts down…
it has also caused – quite rightly – a nationwide debate over the judicial system and spanish attitudes to sex crime.
editor
Max and Fred:
To be a victim of gang rape, whatever one’s age (or legal capacity) must be high up on the list of the most horrific things that can happen to a person. The headline very succinctly sums up exactly what happened and is hardly sensational!
I said some of the headlines, not this one. Max was commenting, no doubt, on the fact that many headlines now seem to be crime related with lots of evocative words – my comment was in relation to that, not this specific story which of course is horrid. Who would not agree that it is horrific?
I take interest in the comments above but I think we all forget that until recently the UK legal system was similar. It was not until the tragic case of baby James Bulger that the law of criminal responsibility for children was brought down to 10 in England & Wales. Do we also forget of the 13 year old BOY that raped his school teacher in the classroom? (How can a 13 year old rape? It’s not possible were the words said) Maybe Spain’s teenagers are now catching up with our own!! It’s a disgrace that a country’s government do not look at what is happening in fellow EU states and take note. Spain is still a very much Catholic country where family values are high and their children can’t do wrong, but unfortunately as the news shows they DO! Maybe they wouldn’t have if they had not had the influence of the Extranjeros, but then Spain would not be the prosperous country that it is now. I have seen Spain change drastically over the past 27 years, some things for the better some for the worse but one thing that has not changed is the unacceptable slowness and unfairness of the judicial system. Hopefully these cases will now wake the Spanish Judicial system up and get them to petition the Spanish government for new laws. As next time, god forbid, it maybe their children or grandchildren that are the victims and they are still having to let the offenders go home to “Mama y Papa”!!!
Good points by all. Sorry Jon, I didn’t mean to say it wasn’t horrific, of course it was and even as a parent I cannot imagine the pain, suffering and shock of the girls and their families.
I am and always have been a supporter of the Olive Press, my comments were just to point out a small inaccuracy as I stated, it was just an observation.
I appologise to anyone who was offended by my observation, this was NOT my intention and to you Jon for upsetting your sensibilities.
what I was trying to express in my keyboaring disatrous skills was the offspring of such heinous crimes are always of course the one who end up with severe pschological problems usually adopted by wealthy families and yet have no motherly love but what can one expect when their mothers have been shafted on playgrounds in back alleys not to mention filmed, gangraped and presented to granny on christmas day so she may forget the fact that its her dumb mother fucking son she is visiting in prison for killing his sister for a bit of ground rules, or a poignant message that it cost the guy a lot more than his inprisonment for inviting an impoverished lass for beef dinner, veal (sick bastard)especially when the only meat vegans eat are from natural food sources. Anyway when ones self is so mangled who needs conversation a face legs oh yes and consciousness to say no, and furthermore sprouts will always be sprouts strawberries will always be strawberries almonds always sweet and most men pigs
I am actually looking to comment on the “Rape Law MUST change” article in my current copy of Olive Press but cant seem to find it. I have to say that I too was suprised at the sensationalism of this article, I expect more of the Olive Press as Max says but I am by no means saying that this, yet another gang rape, should not be aired. Of course it should and yes the law must change. But I have to say that I felt a lot of the detail was unneccessary, I had to literally force myself to read it and as a victim myself my heart goes out to that poor girl and her family.I was abused as a child and raped as an adult and have had intensive therapy as a result, never once was I asked to talk about the actual details of these traumatic events, this girl has to live with this for the rest of her life and she has come to terms with it and accept that these people are sick. The article did actually raise several very serious points about the spanish judicial system but what can we do? Who do we lobby? Can we start a petition? How do we start the ball rolling to get the law changed? Worldwide nearly 80% of women are raped in their lifetime, this is not right, this is not acceptable, paedeophiles and rapists get less than drug dealers in Spain! I am not condoning drug dealers, they too destroy thousands of lives but isn’t there a certain ammount of choice involved? When a child or adult is raped they have no choice, as a child I was told that he knew where I lived and would come and get me if I told, he was The Bogey Man of any childs nightmares, as an adult I had a broken bottle against my throat, I had no doubt in my mind that he would kill me. That isn’t choice its survival. As I say these people are sick and must be stopped, I would recommend pshychiatric treatment for all sex offenders, the age of responsibility should coincide with the age of consent, longer prison sentences accompanied with therapy, prison alone is not going to change the offenders pshyche, his need to dominate or use people for his own gratification. Some offenders, in my mind are persistent and beyond help, I would reccommend these offenders be chemically castrated.
The after care and lack of female doctors and investigators is equally atrocious, how can we change this? I for one am a trained counsellor and would give my time free if we could set up a support group. I’m even prepared to take a refresher course if it would help.
I forgot to tick the notify me of any follow up comments can I do it now?