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Belgium: 14-year-old girl raped multiple times by ten minors

A teenager who was “borrowed” by her 14-year-old boyfriend was raped by ten minors in Belgium. The girl, aged just 14, was taken to a wooded area in Kortrijk, West Flanders, a popular spot with mountain bikers near a highway, where she was raped and abused by her 14-year-old ‘lover’ boyfriend and his friends.

In many European countries, the term “loverboys” is a term used to describe human traffickers who manipulate young girls by pretending to be in love with them.

The abuse occurred three times between April 2 and April 6, the Daily Mail reported.

The 14-year-old boyfriend assaulted the girl before allegedly allowing several others to sexually abuse her as well.

The suspects, all minors between the ages of 11 and 16 and reportedly immigrants, filmed the attacks on their smartphones and shared the clips on social media, reportedly via Snapchat – an instant messaging and photo-sharing application.

The youngest of the boys, an 11-year-old, was used as a lookout, the Daily Mail reported.

The investigation into the case was conducted in secrecy to prevent any disclosure of the suspects’ identities.

It took several days for the girl to come forward, fearful of telling her parents and the police. The police were able to arrest ten boys, six of whom were placed in a closed institution while the other four were placed under house arrest.

The suspects gave contradictory statements during interrogation, with some blaming each other.

Some of the six minors housed in the institution appeared in juvenile court on Wednesday afternoon. It was reported that two of them were released on conditional terms.

Four other young people, including her 14-year-old friend, are now in custody. He is considered the main suspect.

The investigation is ongoing and prosecutors are working to determine the extent of each suspect’s involvement in the attack.

The case has sparked a debate in Belgium over the country’s juvenile crime laws and the minimum sentence for sexual offenses.

In Belgium, the age of criminal responsibility is 18, meaning the alleged sexual abusers were brought before a juvenile judge and were likely placed in a personal rehabilitation program in juvenile facilities, the Daily Mail reported.

The survivor receives specialist medical care after her ordeal.

Published by:

Girish Kumar Anshul

Published on:

May 9, 2024