Woman suffers attempted rape in Anchieta — Photo: Civil Police
A 40-year-old man was arrested on Saturday (3) on suspicion of attempted femicide, attempted rape, sexual harassment, extortion and theft against a 31-year-old woman, in Anchieta, in the south of Espírito Santo. He was located at the Vitória Bus Station as he prepared to leave the state for Sergipe.
According to delegate Luiza Jacob, head of the Specialized Women's Assistance Center (Neam) in Anchieta, the suspect himself initially called the police and claimed to have been the victim of an attempted robbery carried out by the passenger he was transporting. He said the case had happened in the Ubu region.
When police arrived at the scene they found a different situation.
"The victim arrived with several bruises, bleeding a lot. Saying that she had been the victim of an attempted rape and that the same man had tried to kill her", said the delegate.
The woman said she had known the suspect for a few years, as he worked as an app driver and also made private runs for her. The two maintained a friendly relationship.
According to the investigation, in the last week of September, the man began sending messages and inviting the two to go out. They agreed to go to Guarapari on the 1st.
“The victim reported that she made it very clear that she would go out with him only with the intention of being friends, without any romantic relationship, despite him showing interest”, said delegate Luiza Jacob.
During the journey, according to the victim, the man made advances without consent. First, he would have tried to put his hand on her leg and kiss her neck. Later, in the Praia do Riacho region, he allegedly stopped the car again and tried to kiss and grab her.
The woman asked to return to Anchieta. On the way, according to the report, the man changed his route and headed towards Praia do Além, a deserted and unlit area.
“The victim reports that at that moment she began to become desperate and beg him to take her back home,” stated the delegate.
Victim says he was threatened with a knife
According to the woman, the man said that her tears did not move him. He then stopped the vehicle and ordered her to get out.
According to the statement, the suspect ordered her to take off her clothes and, when she refused, took a knife he kept in the car and started threatening her. He would also have demanded that she unlock her cell phone and transfer the money she had in her account.
As there was no money available, according to the victim, the man hit the cell phone with the handle of the knife and threw it away. He then said he wouldn't let her leave alive because he didn't want to be reported.
The woman managed to grab the knife during a moment of distraction and got into a physical fight with the suspect.
“She said that at one point she started shaking and reciting Psalm 91. And at that moment he didn’t understand the situation and that was when she managed to grab the knife.”
According to the delegate, she suffered two bites on her arm and had injuries to her arms and legs, as well as superficial punctures caused by the knife.
The victim managed to escape and asked for help at a company in the region.
Suspect presented different version
After calling the police, the man fled after learning that the victim had been found and that the police were with him. The Military Police, the Anchieta Municipal Guard and the Civil Police carried out searches until he was located and recognized on Saturday.
The suspect presented a different version to the police. He stated that he intended to go out with the victim on a romantic date and that she would also be interested. He also said that the two went to Praia do Além and that, later, a man on a black motorcycle arrived at the place and got into a physical fight with him, with the woman's participation.
The version, however, presented contradictions, according to the delegate. Witnesses interviewed by the police gave different accounts about the presence of the motorcycle and what happened on the beach.
The police also analyzed images from security cameras to try to locate the motorcycle mentioned by the suspect, but did not find any vehicle with the characteristics described during the period analyzed.
Man has been convicted of violence against women
According to the Civil Police, the suspect has two final convictions for bodily injury under the Maria da Penha Law and has already had urgent protective measures ordered against him.
The arrest was converted into preventive by the courts. The man remains arrested.
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