Spanish authorities have announced the arrest of six tourists suspected of gang-raping a British young woman who was on vacation at the Spanish resort of Magaluf on the island of Mallorca. The Spanish Civil Guard police indicated that a judge in La Palma ordered the detention of the men, which include five French nationals and one Swiss national, until the investigations are completed. According to police officers, "there are videos of the rape on at least one of the suspects' phones." It is reported that all the men are over twenty years old, with the assault taking place early Monday morning at a hotel in the popular party resort of Magaluf, known for its raucous parties and cheap alcohol.
Hotel staff contacted the police after finding a British woman crying outside the hotel in Calvià, a popular party destination for young tourists. The suspects were arrested shortly after the young woman provided a description of them. According to the girl, she returned to the hotel with the suspects and was assaulted later. In a video of the incident, young men in their early twenties can be seen assaulting the young woman. She received medical attention and immediate counseling; a doctor reportedly found signs of bruising on her arms. Investigators searched the hotel room and reviewed surveillance footage as part of the ongoing investigation.
Spanish media published photos of the six handcuffed men wearing the same pants and shirts they were arrested in, as they were escorted to court by police officers for a pre-trial hearing. Although the suspects are detained in jail, no formal charges have yet been filed against any of them. Under Spanish law, sexual assault encompasses a wide range of crimes from online abuse to harassment to rape, each carrying different penalties. Gang rape is considered an aggravating factor that can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
