Lorraine Williamson
A 25-year-old woman has been rescued after allegedly being beaten, kidnapped, and abandoned, hooded and tied to a tree in the countryside near Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga. Her partner has been arrested after the woman’s family received footage showing her bloodied, but giving no indication of where she was being held.
The events unfolded on Tuesday afternoon when relatives contacted the Guardia Civil after receiving images of the young woman and becoming concerned for her safety. Officers launched an urgent investigation to establish her whereabouts.
Investigators located the woman’s partner and arrested him, but he allegedly provided no information about where she was. Guardia Civil officers then continued a search across the Guadalhorce area as fears for the missing woman’s safety increased.
Cyclists find woman tied to a tree
The search ended after cyclists came across the young woman in the countryside. She had allegedly been left hooded and tied to a tree with duct tape after managing to remove the gag from her mouth sufficiently to call for help as people passed nearby.
The cyclists freed her and helped her reach a relative’s home, where investigators subsequently located her. Canal Sur reports that the woman had suffered a serious beating before allegedly being forced into a vehicle and driven into the countryside.
According to information obtained during the investigation, the victim and the arrested man were in a relationship. The alleged attack is reported to have followed an argument, after which the woman was allegedly assaulted, restrained, and forced into a car.
Video allegedly sent to victim’s family
One of the most disturbing elements of the case is the footage allegedly sent to the woman’s relatives. The suspect is accused of recording the victim while she was bloodied and sending the images to her family without revealing where she had been taken.
That message prompted the family to approach the Guardia Civil. During the subsequent search, officers also received information that someone had witnessed an aggressive man forcing a woman into a vehicle, adding urgency to efforts to locate her.
The 25-year-old was not registered in Spain’s VioGén system, which is used by authorities to monitor cases of gender-based violence and assess the level of risk faced by victims.
Suspect investigated over unlawful detention and injuries
The detained man is initially being investigated for alleged unlawful detention and causing injuries, although investigators are continuing to establish the full circumstances and any additional offences that may apply.
The case comes amid continuing concern over violence against women in Spain. Anyone experiencing gender-based violence can contact Spain’s 016 service, which operates 24 hours a day and provides assistance in 53 languages. In an immediate emergency, call 112, Policía Nacional on 091 or Guardia Civil on 062.