Laurence Dollimore
THE US government is advising its citizens in Spain to take extra precautions against sexual assault following a steady increase in cases.
The US Embassy has issued an alert following ‘a steady increase in the number of sexual assaults nationally over the past five years.’
“This includes a rise in sexual assault against young US citizen visitors and students throughout Spain,” it read.
“US citizen victims of sexual assault in Spain can find it very difficult to navigate the local criminal justice system, which differs significantly from the US system.”
It comes after three American women, including an 18-year-old, claimed they were raped by three Afghan men in Murcia on New Year’s Eve.
The trio have been asked to declare their claims before a judge for the trial to move forward but are feared to have already left Spain – although it can be made by video conference.
The alleged attackers say they will file claims of false accusations if the case is thrown out.
