Italy's deputy prime minister has called for chemical castration for attackers who allegedly gang-raped a young girl in public toilets.
Matteo Salvini said the girl had been “raped by a gang of seven Egyptians” and that there could be “only one cure: chemical castration.”
The 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on January 30 at around 7:30 p.m. in the park of Villa Bellini in Catania, Sicily, while she was walking with her 17-year-old boyfriend.
A group of young men forced the girl and her boyfriend into a public toilet, where some of them restrained the boyfriend while two others allegedly gang-raped the girl.
There are seven male suspects – three of them minors – who allegedly entered Italy illegally as “unaccompanied minors” between November 2021 and March 2023, La Repubblica reports. The suspects are reportedly from Egypt and are 15 to 19 years old.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was in Catania on a prearranged visit, said she was shocked by the rape. She expressed her sympathy for the victim and his family and promised that “justice will be done.”
The 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on January 30 at around 7:30 p.m. in Villa Bellini Park in Catania, Sicily, while walking with her 17-year-old boyfriend (pictured: the public toilet where she was raped) .
A group of young men forced the girl and her boyfriend into a public toilet (pictured), where some of them restrained the boyfriend while two others gang-raped the girl
Matteo Salvini (pictured) said the girl was “raped by a gang of seven Egyptians” and that there could be “only one cure: chemical castration,” reports the Sun
Salvini said the chemical castration proposal would soon be presented by his Lega party, and Annalisa Tardino, an MEP from the same party, added: “We remain firmly convinced that chemical castration should be imposed on rapists and pedophiles, and life imprisonment in similar incidents.” is needed.”, as well as more security in our cities.'
She also called for the immediate repatriation of the suspects to Egypt.
The girl said two of the accused grabbed her while the others grabbed her boyfriend.
“And they took us to the bathrooms of the villa.” “It was a nightmare, there was no one there at the time,” the girl told La Repubblica.
She said she tried to free herself, as did her boyfriend, but they couldn't overpower the seven teenagers.
Two of them allegedly raped her while the others watched. She said, “And they made my boyfriend watch too.”
“He was screaming, he was desperate. I said, “I'm begging you, I'm begging you, don't hurt me, let me go2.”
The rape lasted 30 minutes until the couple finally broke free and escaped. They immediately alerted the carabinieri, who managed to capture the group within 24 hours.
The victim identified the two underage alleged perpetrators of the rape, the police said yesterday.
The rape in the public toilet (pictured) lasted 30 minutes until the couple finally broke free and escaped. They immediately alerted the carabinieri, who managed to capture the group within 24 hours
The girl was raped on January 30 at around 7:30 p.m. in the park of Villa Bellini in Catania, Sicily (pictured).
One of them is said to have been one of the rapists, the other one of the boys who watched and restrained the girl's boyfriend.
DNA evidence successfully linked one of the three minors to the rape, the prosecutor confirmed.
While the girl was reportedly only able to identify two of the attackers for fear of accusing an innocent person, her boyfriend identified the other five, Corriere reports.
According to the Catania public prosecutor's office, the seven suspects are accused of gang-related sexual violence.
Two of the suspects – one of them, at 19, the oldest of the group – have reportedly assisted in the investigation. Both say they witnessed the attack but claim they did not rape the girl.
Four adults have been arrested, while the three minors are being held at the precautionary initial reception center in Catania.
According to La Repubblica, one of the minors tried to escape but was caught when he returned home to get clothes.