'Crime is proven,' says police chief regarding rape.

Rio 247 – The delegate responsible for investigating the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old girl in the western zone of Rio a week ago stated this Monday, the 30th, in a press conference, that she is convinced that a crime occurred. The video released on social media, according to her, proves the rape.

"My conviction is that there was rape," stated Cristiana Bento, from the Child and Adolescent Victim Police Station (DCAV), who took over the case on Sunday night, the 29th, after the removal of delegate Alessandro Thiers, who, according to the victim, had incriminated her during her testimony.

In an operation carried out this Monday, Rio police executed six arrest warrants issued by the courts. Two suspects were arrested. "The temporary arrest warrant was issued to determine how many people committed this crime. But it happened," said the police chief.

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Rio's Civil Police say they are convinced that a gang rape occurred.

Vinícius Lisboa – The head of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, Fernando Veloso, and the head of the Child and Adolescent Victim Police Station (Dcav), Cristiana Bento, told the press today (30) that there are already elements that allow us to affirm that the 16-year-old girl, who had a video in which she appears naked and unconscious released on social media, was a victim of gang rape.

"We have nothing more to say about this. This girl was a victim of sexual violence; according to the Statute of the Child and Adolescent, she was a victim of the dissemination of images and is being victimized by the population, which is judging what she was or wasn't. This girl needs protection and care," said the delegate. "There was rape, yes. Now, what I intend to do is discover the extent of this rape, how many people raped this young woman," added Cristiana.

According to the Civil Police, the video that circulated on social media is already sufficient proof of gang rape. In the images, a man manipulates the body of the young woman, apparently unconscious, in the presence of three other people. "If one abuses and the other is watching, he is an accomplice and will be held accountable for the same crime," said the delegate.

According to the police, the group mentions in the video that 30 people allegedly raped the young woman, a version confirmed by the victim. However, Veloso said that this information still needs more "robustness" to determine how many people participated in the crime.

Six people are now considered suspects in the crimes of rape of a vulnerable person and production and distribution of pornographic material involving minors. Five are fugitives and one turned himself in to the police this afternoon.

Among the fugitives are suspects who had already appeared before the police to give statements when the case was still with the Cybercrime Repression Unit. According to the head of the Civil Police, the assessment of whether they should have been arrested earlier or not is subjective, and the arrests ordered today are the result of work done previously.

Report

Without citing details, the Civil Police stated that the report produced by the Forensic Medical Institute after examining the young woman was unable to identify material evidence of the crime. According to the detectives, this result was expected given that the material was collected five days after the crime.

Expert Adriane Rego explained that the human body destroys traces of sperm starting 72 hours after ejaculation.

The absence of this material evidence, however, does not change the conviction of the delegate responsible for the case. "In sexual crimes, the forensic examination is important, but it is not decisive. Sometimes there is injury, and the victim wanted it, and it can happen that there is no injury and it was forced. If she was unconscious, there will be no injury, because she did not offer resistance," she explained.

The investigation is being conducted under seal because it involves a teenage victim.