Brazil Gang Rape: Rio de Janeiro Police Makes Arrests In 16-Year-Old Girl’s Alleged Sexual Assault By Over 30 Men

Police in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro arrested two men in connection with a 16-year-old girl’s gang-rape that shocked the country, reports said Monday. Over 30 men allegedly raped the girl and posted a video of the assault on social media, triggering outrage in Brazil.

The arrested suspects included a man who investigators said may be the victim’s boyfriend, the Associated Press reported. The men arrested were identified as Rai de Souza, 22, and Lucas Perdomo Duarte Santos, 20, according to the AP.

Police is pursuing other suspects seen in the video, including a man grinning in a selfie taken next to the victim and an alleged member of a drug trafficking gang from of Rio’s poor, and often unruly, areas known as favelas, Agence France-Presse reported. Officials have raided several favelas after the video went viral, according to AFP.

The alleged rape happened May 21 when the teen was on her way to a shantytown in western Rio de Janeiro. Reports said the girl was visiting her boyfriend’s house in the area at the time. A few days after the incident, the girl found that some of the alleged rapists had posted photographs of the assault on Twitter. A 40-second video showing the assault was also widely shared, followed by misogynistic comments.

According to Rio police chief Fernando Veloso, the rape kit tests were carried out five days after the assault — beyond the recommended 72-hour time period.

“We did not collect evidence of violence, but this does not mean that there was no violence,” Veloso said, according to the AP. He added that authorities became aware of the incident only after the assault video went viral.

While Veloso acknowledged that the assault was indeed gang-rape, because at least three men were caught in the video, he also noted that officials were unable to determine the number of people involved in the incident. The girl reportedly testified that 33 men were involved.

“The footage shows more than one voice, there is an account of the rape performed earlier. One of the men touches the teenager, who looks unconscious. That act alone is rape and it is in the footage. If the footage is true, and it looks to be true, there is no doubt it was rape,” Veloso reportedly said.

Rio de Janeiro’s acting governor Francisco Dornelles called the gang rape “the most heinous of crimes.” Brazil does not have the death penalty but Dornelles urged for “the most violent possible” punishment to the perpetrators, AFP reported.

“If it was up to me it would be punished with the death penalty,” Dornelles said.

Campaigners have reportedly called for protests against the assault over the coming days.