A tourist with Brazilian-Spanish dual nationality was allegedly gang-raped in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, sparking outrage, BBC reported.
The 28-year-old woman and her husband, on a motorbike tour, were attacked while stopped for the night in Dumki district.
“Seven men raped me. They have beaten us and robbed us, although not many things [were taken] because what they wanted was to rape me,” she said in Spanish, adding that the men beat them and threatened to kill them.
The husband, in a separate video, said: “My mouth is destroyed, but my partner is worse than me. They have hit me with the helmet several times, with a stone on the head. Thank goodness she was wearing the jacket and that stops the blows a little.”
The couple had traveled to various Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, as well as Iraq, before arriving in India a few months ago.
The woman shared a video on their Instagram page, revealing the assault by seven men who also beat them and robbed them. The husband, in a separate video, described the brutality they endured.
“The videos are no longer up on their page.” The couple flagged down a patrol van, leading to their treatment at a local health center where they reported the rape.
The Brazilian embassy confirmed the incident and contacted local authorities and the Spanish embassy, as the couple entered India with Spanish passports.
India has faced increased scrutiny over sexual violence, despite legal reforms following the 2012 Delhi bus gang rape and murder.
“We need to stand united in our commitment to end violence against women everywhere in the world,” the Spanish embassy in India posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
Activists stress the ongoing challenge of addressing the issue.
The response from India’s National Commission for Women drew criticism after dismissing concerns raised by a US journalist about sexual aggression in the country. “Did you ever report the incident to police?” Ms Sharma wrote. “If not then you are totally an irresponsible person. Writing only on social media and defaming whole country is not good choice.”