A suspect for the rape of a twelve-year-old child on multiple occasions—who was allegedly also forced into prostitution—was arrested by police in Greece in a case that has shocked the nation.
The suspect, a 53-year-old shopkeeper, has been given until noon on Wednesday to testify on the charges after appearing before an investigating magistrate. Police also arrested a 42-year-old client who allegedly paid to assault the girl last Friday night.
The accused, whose name has not been made public but has been identified by the media, allegedly raped the girl several times and arranged for 213 men he met online to abuse her sexually.
The girl is from an underprivileged family of eight children in the Athenian suburb of Kolonos, where the shop of the accused is also located. Her mother worked at the store of the alleged abuser as a cleaner, and the girl would help her on school-free hours and days.
The man would allegedly charge fifty to seventy euros per “session” with some meet-ups being charged at one hundred euros. This was money that, according to the twelve-year-old, she never saw nor knew anything about.
The sex appointments would take place near the metro station of Sepolia in western Athens, where the girl would be sexually abused inside the clients’ cars or in rooms, which remain unknown to the girl.
Suspect of the child prostitution case filmed acts of violence
Following reports from state broadcaster ERT, a testimony from the alleged victim has led to police uncovering evidence that shows the man raped the girl under the threat of a weapon inside his store.
Allegedly, the 53-year-old would also take pictures and film his acts of violence. He would then upload the material on the internet using a fake profile posing as the twelve-year-old seeking clients.
The girl has testified that to the best of her knowledge she has been forced into prostitution with at least ten men.
Greek authorities are now seeking to establish the identities of the others involved in the child abuse ring.
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