In a troubling display of online harassment and sensationalism, a critic dismissed the credibility of a young woman who testified about a brutal assault. The article in question framed the woman’s experience in a way that minimized the severity of the violence and suggested she had provoked the incident. In April 2018, a Navarra court found that the five men were guilty of sexual abuse rather than rape, a distinction that sparked further disputes in media circles. A far-right outlet based in Cartagena published commentary that questioned the victim and cast doubt on her credibility, fueling a wave of negative coverage around the San Fermín incident from 2016.
The author identified as a Valencian man, aged 58, used a pseudonym and paired his writing with statements that implied the image from the case showed the victim being harassed by one of the accused. The supreme court had convicted that individual along with four others, sentencing them to lengthy prison terms for sexual abuse in a case that drew national attention. The dispute centered on imagery from the crime scene and whether it should be disseminated publicly, with the court and prosecutors arguing for privacy protections and limits on sharing.
forbidden picture
Alongside the frame, the publication carried language deemed insulting. Prosecutors noted that the summary of the case included this material, while the Navarra Audiencia restricted its distribution. The article also disclosed personal data about the victim, including her name and educational institution, which raised serious privacy concerns.
In the piece, the victim was described as “drunk” and accused of seeking autonomy in ways that aligned with a contested political stance on gender ideology.
This Friday, criminal court No. 2 in Cartagena (Murcia) is hearing the case against the director of the online news outlet for crimes related to revealing secrets and for moral integrity. The victim, represented by a prosecutor and attorney, is pursuing a six-year prison sentence for the director. The courtroom is tense as the proceedings unfold.
Anonymous insults to the victim
Because of the article, the victim received a stream of anonymous online messages—insults, threats, and manipulated images—that worsened her mood, increased anxiety, and disrupted her daily life, according to the prosecuting team.
The accused allegedly shared confidential information with individuals who accessed the website, violating the victim’s privacy, according to the Public Ministry.
“Serrano your body asked you”
The publication went further, featuring statements that questioned the survivor and framed the assault as something she seemingly invited. Phrasing suggested that going to a hotel with multiple men was a casual choice rather than a violent crime, and it accused the victim of seeking liberation through risky sexual experiences, using derogatory language that belittled her.
The defendant pleads not guilty, and the group asserts they did not know that publishing the victim’s data was prohibited.
According to the victim’s legal team, the accused admitted in an interview that he spread the image and stories about the young woman’s sexuality, a claim echoed by others who targeted the victim from various regions. Some of those men have already faced convictions in other cases.
Threatened to leak the video
In a separate interview, the Cartagena outlet’s director threatened to release the full video of the attack, indicating a plan to make it accessible nationwide. The victim’s lawyer notes the chilling impact of such threats.
The suspect denies the charges, arguing that the material shared was already available on public platforms and accessible to anyone. Legal experts note that the victim endured long-term harm: psychological distress, a break from university studies, and even a temporary relocation abroad as a result of the widespread publication of her case.