9 November 2011. Source: Beta
Stockholm – Swedish police arrested a man charged with sexually abusing a 14-year old Roma girl from Belgrade in his flat in Goteborg during one year period.
Media reports that the arrested is a 25-year old mentally challenged man whose family “bought” a girl from her father whom she lived with in Belgrade.
The police refused to confirm these claims, saying that the investigation is still ongoing.
Paper “Daily Expresen” says that the family of the mentally challenged man thought that he would be better if he had a girlfriend, and decided to “buy” him a girl for EUR 1000 from her father from Belgrade.
“According to the Roma customs, the girl was forced to marry this man and she was taken to his family’s flat, where she was locked up”, Swedish daily reports.
The abusing started in September 2010.
According to the same daily, the girl whose name has not been revealed, told the police that during the period of her captivity, she was exposed to threats, physical violence and rape.
The court in Goteborg issued a warrant for arrest of four persons. In addition to the rape charges, the mentally challenged man is suspected for human trafficking, the same as the girl’s father. It is not known who the fourth arrested person is.
Media report that the girl got pregnant during her captivity and has miscarriage.
“She is very, very happy that she got free from that hell. During the hearing which the police recorded, she talked about the details of what she was through”, said an unamed source to the “Daily Expresen”.
The girl was released in a police action in late October-early November. It is not known at the moment how the police found out about her case.