A 44-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, July 10, in Torres Novas on suspicion of sexually abusing two children, his partner’s daughter and granddaughter, over several years.
In a statement sent on Friday, July 11, the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) disclosed that the suspect initially began abusing his stepdaughter between 2010 and 2017, spanning the ages of 11 to 17 of the victim.
In this case, although the minor disclosed the abuses within the family, they were not reported to the authorities.
In May of this year, the granddaughter of the assailant’s partner, and niece of the first victim, informed her mother of the ongoing situation.
The girl, now 12 years old, confided to her mother, according to the PJ, “that she was experiencing recurring sexual abuse since 2022, when she was only eight years old, by her grandmother’s partner.”
The matter was reported to the authorities. Following several investigations and house searches in Torres Vedras, the man was arrested and charged with the sexual abuse of two children.
After his initial judicial interrogation at the Loures Court, the most severe coercive measure, preventive detention, was imposed on him.
A Third of Children in Europe Face Sexual Violence
It is noted that, according to the Human Rights Channel of the Council of Europe, one in five children is a victim of sexual violence in the European continent.
These assaults range from inappropriate physical contact to sexual harassment, and even rape and exploitation for prostitution and pornography purposes.
According to several studies related to the sexual abuse of minors, the majority of sexual violence situations occur within the family context.
For this reason, psychologists warn that it is essential to be informed about the topic, “invest in knowledge,” and address this issue with young people “without taboo.”
