A 12-year-old disabled girl was allegedly gang-raped by at least eight classmates, but police have not taken action.
Eight boys are accused of assaulting a disabled classmate in the girls’ bathroom at a school in Peñaflor, Seville, in May, according to a police report filed by the child’s family.
The police report states that the girl was taken out of sight of students and teachers and brought to the girls’ bathroom during a break, where the assault supposedly occurred.
The girl’s distressed grandmother recounted the incident on the Spanish television program “Y Ahora Sonsoles.” The grandmother, whose identity was not disclosed, described the horrifying experience, saying the girl told her, “They grabbed my hands and opened my legs and they made love to me,” to which she responded, “No, my dear, that’s not making love.”
The grandmother also described the “hell” the girl endured in the following days, as she did not disclose her assault for several days.
The grandmother told Telemadrid that the girl did not want to go to school, refused to eat, and could not sleep. The girl also repeatedly pulled her own hair and threw herself on the ground before finally opening up to her grandmother.
The girl was then taken to the hospital for an examination.
The forensic medical team confirmed that the girl had been penetrated, according to the grandmother.
However, because all children involved in the assault were born between 2011 and 2012, making them 12 and 13 years old, the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office cannot investigate the case. Under Spanish Juvenile Law, perpetrators under the age of 14 are not held liable.
The case has been transferred to Child Protection Services.
Andalusia’s Councillor for Social Inclusion, Youth, Families, and Equality stated at a press conference last week that the Andalusian government is in contact with the prosecutor’s office.
“From now on, we will implement all mechanisms to protect the girl, investigate the origin of this behavior, and adopt appropriate measures.”
This news follows a recent Spanish court decision acquitting a man who raped a 12-year-old girl and left her pregnant with twins, ruling that their relations were part of gypsy culture.