When Facebook Likes Equal Violence: Paraguay Man Beats Wife For Online Popularity

Resenting the "likes" his wife received on Facebook, a Paraguayan man beat his wife so badly that she was left with a disfigured face and had to undergo reconstruction surgery, reports said.

The brutality came to light last week when 21-year-old Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza was rescued from her home in the Pa'i Ñu neighborhood of the city of Ñemby by agents of the National Police.

Her husband Pedro Heriberto Galeano was arrested for keeping Ortigoza captive in the house for several days, and punching her every time one of her FB posts elicited a friendly online gesture.

Reports said Galeano confined his wife in the house and monitored her Facebook notifications. Every time there was a "like" for one of her posted pictures, he would punch her.

If that wasn't enough, Galeano took charge of his wife's Facebook page and posted new pictures of her on the social media network. He would beat her up every time one of her FB friends reacted to the posts, accusing her of having a relationship with them.

The brutal attacks by the envious husband left her face completely disfigured.

According to the translated version of Paraguay.com, Ortigoza was somehow able to contact one of her coworkers, who informed the National Police and Ortigoza’s relatives.

The police was quick in rescuing the woman. After her rescue, Ortigoza had to undergo reconstruction operations of the nasal septum and lips surgery due to the severity of the beatings.

Ortigoza’s lawyer Arnaldo Martinez claimed her confined client would always fear a notification on Facebook related to someone reacting or commenting on her post as her husband would become violent and attack her mercilessly.

Martinez told the Metro U.K., “Her mouth was all broken, she was very damaged, her skin was hanging off because of the blows. He controlled the victim’s social networking sites, he controlled the messages and photos, and for every 'like' she received from her friends, the woman received a beating because he accused her of having a relationship with them.”

He added that Ortigoza did not lose her teeth despite the brutal beatings she endured everyday was because Galeano would put a cloth in her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Galeano is being held at the 7th Central Police Station, at the disposal of the prosecutor's office, reported Paraguay.com .

He has been charged with attempted feminicide and deprivation of liberty and coercion. These criminal acts account for a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

According to the translated version of local publication Monumental, prosecutor Claudia Aguilera said, “We are facing a case of deprivation of liberty, attempted feminicide, and serious coercion.”

Aguilera also said the victim’s father was worried because his daughter was not reachable and he was unable to contact her for quite some time. Family and friends will be interrogated regarding the incident, said Aguilera.