Five men who organized to exploit dating apps and then assaulted young women in Castelldefels, near Barcelona, were jailed after investigators traced their activities to a pattern of coercion and predatory conduct. They allegedly gathered the victims in a shared apartment, where alcohol was consumed and social games were played, before the assaults occurred. In one group chat, members boasted about their actions, including a chilling remark: “We screwed that girl up.”
Forensic analysis points to spring 2021 as the period of the incidents. While one assault occurred in an apartment, investigators noted that additional potential victims might exist beyond those identified so far. The investigation highlighted a calculated approach: victims were targeted through dating apps and then invited to gatherings where the group coordinated their conduct.
The judge noted that the victims were sometimes isolated and left in rooms with the perpetrators, creating an intimidating environment. The accused reportedly took turns exploiting the vulnerable women, leveraging the power dynamics of the situation to further assaults. The judicial decision emphasizes that the actions reflected a broader pattern of degrading behavior toward women, reinforced by casual and sometimes joking messages in the WhatsApp chats that were presented as evidence.
“Rape is to go on the street and tie up the aunt”
In her ruling, the judge described the defendants as having normalized a set of humiliating practices toward women. The communications in the defendants’ messages revealed a disturbing attitude toward the victims and were central to the case against the suspects. One comment from a defendant suggested a belief that reporting or acknowledging the crime would be unnecessary; another message described rape in a hypothetical and sensational way, underscoring the offenders’ skewed understanding of consent and harm.
Other messages show a fear of exposure if the actions were disclosed: “If someone messes things up, gets angry and doesn’t tell the truth, we’re all going to jail.” A few days later, a similar sentiment appeared, underscoring the group’s awareness that their conduct could lead to serious consequences.
Additional text and audio exchanges reveal a disturbing lightness about the victims. Phrases such as “Since when is an aunt just for one person,” “the aunts are coming but what I don’t invite,” “the girl is very drunk, threesome comes,” and “we ruined that girl the next day” illustrate a casual, derisive tone toward those subjected to the group’s actions.
Acts of sexual predation
On Wednesday, the court accepted the admission to prison without bail from five detainees, who currently face five counts of sexual assault and three additional charges of harassment or assault related to sexual exploitation. The charges allege that the group acted in concert to commit sexual violations against young women.
In delivering the verdict, the judge underscored the credibility of the two victims who were questioned, while noting that the five defendants retained their right to respond through their counsel. The deputy recital of events paints a picture of spring 2021, when a defendant used a dating app to arrange a party at a home with friends, while four other suspects remained under investigation.
According to the verdict, one victim, intoxicated to the point of collapse, was taken to a room where vaginal, anal, and oral assaults occurred. When she asked for the abuse to stop, the assailants did not cease their acts and some participants even urged the continued aggression, a stark illustration of the coercive dynamics at play.
A separate incident in May 2021 involved a woman lured through social networks to a party at a Castelldefels flat, where she was led to a room to engage with one defendant. The other defendants then forced the door and coerced the victim into performing oral sex, with the remaining group not intervening. The judge notes the victim, unfamiliar with all involved, felt unable to leave the situation and perceived it as a chance to escape only after the party broke up.