Man is accused of raping a vulnerable person for approaching a child who was going to school in Curitiba; victim made universal signal for help

The crime took place at the beginning of October, in the Sítio Cercado neighborhood. The girl was walking down the street, accompanied by other children – including her 10-year-old cousin – when she was approached by the man. He offered her money to accompany him, but she refused. Then the man held the girl's hand tightly and began to lead her.

Out of fear, the only reaction the child had was to make the distress signal, which consists of folding the thumb into the palm of the hand and closing the other four fingers over it. Her cousin saw the sign, ran and sought help at a gas station, where workers called the Municipal Guard.

The complaint was received by the Court this Friday (6) and, as a result, the man became a defendant. He is in pre-trial detention and has already been monitored by an electronic ankle monitor since 2017 for raping a vulnerable person.

Investigations showed that the man tried to approach the child initially by car and then walking. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, he touched the victim inappropriately and uttered intimidating phrases with sexual connotations, offering her the sum of R$50 to accompany him.

In addition to sentencing to the penalties provided for by law, the Public Prosecutor's Office also requested the payment of at least R$50,000 as compensation for the moral damage caused to the victim and her family.

In an interview with RPC, the girl and her cousin said that they learned about the meaning of the sign after seeing reports on television and talking to their grandmother about the subject.

"I knew [about the signal] from TV and from my grandmother teaching me. She said that, when we are in danger, just make the signal and then people will help", details the girl.

"I always teach them, so that when they go out on the street, they pay attention, never get too close to people, don't talk to strangers, don't accept sweets, money... That sign always appears on television to ask for help. I passed this on to them too. When it was on television, I said: 'This applies to you too. Any danger you are in, as soon as you can ask for help, do it like this with your hand. Anyone who knows this sign will know that you need help'", details the grandmother.