Judge Accused Of Asking A Woman Who Was Raped If She Tried Closing Her Legs

A Spanish judge allegedly asked a rape victim if she tried closing her legs when she was attacked.

According to Huffington Post, the victim went to a police station in Vitoria, Spain on February 16 to report she was physically and sexually abused.

She was reportedly summoned to make a statement to Judge María del Carmen Molina Mansilla the next day.

The victim, who was four months pregnant, asked the judge for a restraining order against her abuser, The Local reports.

But Blanca Estrella Ruiz of gender rights group the Clara Campoamor Association reportedly said the judge "showed obvious disbelief of the testimony of the victim, questioned her without allowing her to answer [and asked] leading and offensive questions."

The judge even reportedly asked the victim,

Did you close your legs firmly? Did you close off your female organs?

The Clara Campoamor Association asked authorities to conduct an investigation of the judge, who allegedly displayed this degrading attitude toward rape victims several times before.

Ruiz reportedly said,

Other women have lodged complaints about the re-victimization they experienced in this court... Women are scared as to what might happen to them as victims in this court and it is disincentivizing them to report such crimes.

The gender rights group, named after a Spanish politician who advocated for women's rights, also called for the judge to be suspended.

A spokesman for Spain's General Council of the Judiciary told The Telegraph the judge was asked to provide her version of the case.

Her response may help determine whether or not she is penalized by the disciplinary committee.

Citations: Spanish Judge Asks Rape Victim If She Tried Closing Her Legs (Huffington Post), Woman judge asks rape victim if she tried closing her legs (The Local), Spain rape victim asked by judge if she tried closing her legs (The Telegraph)