Rafael Sevilla recalls echoes of hate that stretched back to a Saturday night near the Malilla overpass in Valencia. The words hurled at him were brutal and dehumanizing, the kind that follows a person long after the moment has passed. A group shouted insults like fag, bujarra, and threats of violence, a chilling prelude to an attack that shook him to his core as he and his friends walked home from a party. The hostility arrived from a crowd of youths who appeared much younger than Rafael, and the tension built as they trailed him toward the rail line in a space where anonymity amplifies danger. The sound of music playing in Rafael is a reminder of the normal life he hoped to return to after that night, a life interrupted by fear and physical peril.
In the days that followed, the incident was shared across social networks and later corroborated by local media reporting from the Prensa Ibérica group through the National Police. A formal complaint for homophobia was filed as investigators moved to document the events. When the authorities arrived, Rafael was unconscious and had to be transported to the hospital with a level of injury that could have been fatal, though medical assessments found only minor hearing loss and no lasting physical trauma beyond those blows.
The case has since been assigned to the Information Police Brigade, a unit of the National Police that specializes in investigating hate crimes. This transition to a dedicated investigative team underscored the seriousness of the incident and the ongoing effort to identify and hold accountable those responsible.
Rafael, at 30 years old, had been returning from a celebration with friends when he first noticed the gathering of a very young crowd. He recalls hearing voices and realizing that those behind him intended to continue pursuing him. In the moment he chose to put his headphones back on and keep moving, hoping the noise and distance would carry him away from danger. The crowd did not retreat. Instead, they pressed closer, and the fear sharpened into a sense of survival as Rafael contemplated leaving the area entirely. The sounds of jeers escalated into direct threats as the crowd closed in and followed him toward the edge of the overpass.
From the bridge above the tres tracks, the taunts became more personal and menacing. A blunt command to stand up and a cruel label asked Rafael to stop running, while others urged him to slow down and accept the harassment. The fear of what would happen if he were caught intensified, prompting him to descend from the structure and move toward safer ground. The assault began with a violent grab and quick blows, soon breaking into kicks aimed at silencing him and erasing his sense of safety. The violence overwhelmed him, and the world narrowed to the moment when his body hit the pavement and the violence intensified.
Neighbors intervened as the scene unfolded, and the National Police arrived to take Rafael to the hospital. He describes a moment of shock that gradually yielded to a painful clarity about the need to share his experience so others might hear and see that such acts persist. He recognizes that nights like that one are not rare in some places and insists that speaking up is essential to changing the narrative about violence against LGBTQIA plus individuals. The urge to stay home at night, to avoid the streets, is a real consequence he now carries with him, a reminder of how fear can alter daily life for those who belong to minority communities.
The broader context comes from recent official reporting on hate crimes. A Ministry of Interior study shows a worrying rise in violence directed at LGBTQIA plus people, noting a tripling in incidents since before the pandemic. The data highlights that hate crimes constitute a prevalent category, with many cases linked to sexual orientation or gender identity. This trend places Rafael’s experience within a larger pattern of discrimination and assault, underscoring the need for vigilant reporting and robust law enforcement response to protect vulnerable communities.