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Alleged Rape of US Women Roils Spanish Politics

Martin Arostegui

   MADRID, SPAIN - The alleged rape of three American women by Afghan
   migrants is prompting a public examination of Spain's legal system,
   with media commentators and politicians debating the veracity of the
   charges and the competency of Spanish authorities to handle the case
   appropriately.

   The Spanish press has delved into intimate details of the case,
   including speculation that the women -- three sisters from the
   Midwestern state of Ohio aged 18, 20 and 23 -- contrived the sexual
   assault to claim on their travel insurance. Reports have even cited
   disclosures by hospital examiners that the youngest of the three
   sisters was a virgin before her encounter with the alleged rapist.

   The United States, meanwhile, is advising other Americans to take
   precautions against sexual assault and warning about the legal handling
   of sexual assault cases in Spain. "

   U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault in Spain can find it very
   difficult to navigate the local criminal justice system, which differs
   significantly from the U.S. system," said an advisory issued by the
   U.S. Embassy in Madrid. It specifically warned American female students
   to "take precautions against sexual assault during their stay in
   Spain."

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