A horrifying case of sexual violence has shaken the town of Terrassa, just outside Barcelona, after a 37-year-old woman was reportedly gang-raped for four agonizing hours on March 23rd. The survivor managed to flee, prompting a swift police response that led to the arrest of two suspects.
Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, apprehended the men—both of whom were already on law enforcement’s radar. One suspect is said to have racked up over 15 prior police records. Yet despite the violent nature of the crime and their troubling criminal histories, Judge Marcos Melendi opted to release both men while they await trial, a move that’s ignited a firestorm of criticism.
Public outrage has snowballed, with Spain’s right-wing VOX party leading the charge. On Thursday, April 10th, the party organized a protest outside Terrassa’s city hall, slamming the judge’s decision and demanding tighter immigration controls alongside harsher sentencing for sexual crimes. “No more privileges for rapists. Stop importing criminals,” VOX declared in a statement.
As pressure mounts on local authorities, Judge Melendi now finds himself at the center of public ire, with calls for accountability ringing out from political opponents and citizens alike.
The disturbing incident has only added fuel to an already smoldering debate over rising sexual violence in Catalonia. In 2024 so far, Terrassa alone has logged 31 rape cases. VOX claims that 23 of those involved foreign nationals, alleging that nearly 90% of sexual offense convictions in Catalan prisons are tied to immigrants—figures that police haven’t confirmed but haven’t disputed publicly either.
With tensions high and trust in the justice system wavering, the case has become a flashpoint in Spain’s broader conversations on crime, immigration, and public safetey.
