Brazil gang rape tests on 16-year-old victim carried out too late for evidence

Police in Brazil investigating a gang rape which may have involved more than 30 men have said there is no doubt the assault happened, but tests on the 16-year-old victim were carried out too late to provide conclusive evidence.

The attack, which was posted on social media, has shocked the nation and highlighted the endemic problem of violence against women in Latin America’s most populous country.

Two men, including a man investigators have said may have been her boyfriend, have been arrested in connection with the crime and four others sought by police are still at large.

The arrested men were identified as Rai de Souza, 22, and Lucas Perdomo Duarte Santos, 20.

The attack in a slum in western Rio de Janeiro on May 21 came to light because a video clip and images were shared on Twitter and WhatsApp.

Rio police chief Fernando Veloso said the rape kit tests were done five days after the incident, well beyond the recommended 72-hour window.

“We did not collect evidence of violence, but this does not mean that there was no violence,” said Mr Veloso, who added that authorities did not learn of the incident until the social media posts appeared several days later.

“Traces were lost because of time.”

Mr Veloso said police believe the gang rape happened because at least three men were involved in the video.

But they were not able to determine how many people participated in total, he said. The girl told police there were 33 men.

“The footage shows more than one voice, there is an account of the rape performed earlier,” said Mr Veloso.

“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.”

Mr Veloso also said the man heading the rape probe had been replaced with a woman investigator for allegedly not taking the victim’s account seriously.

Cristiane Bento, police inspector in charge of the case, also said the video published on social media was enough for police to charge as an accessory a drug trafficker who controls the slums, better known as favelas in Brazil.

Many victims of rape “don’t say anything because they are afraid of the traffickers”, Ms Bento said.

“They robbed me, not just in material good, but in a physical way.”

The victim of a gang rape in Brazil speaks out.https://t.co/seaJLxUZaQ

— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 31, 2016