Brazil Soccer Star Dani Alves Rape Trial Begins in Spain

Former Brazil National Team star and former FC Barcelona defender Dani Alves is now standing trial in Barcelona, Spain over rape allegations that happened inside an upscale nightclub in the city on December 31, 2022.

Alves, who was one of the veterans who anchored Brazil's previous World Cup campaigns, has denied any wrongdoing in the case. He now faces up to 12 years in prison over these accusations.

Alves claimed his accuser just wanted money.

According to ESPN, state prosecutors are looking for a nine-year prison sentence for the former Barcelona star. However, his accuser's lawyers are asking that he should be imprisoned for at least 12 years.

The trial started Monday, with his accuser testifying in the first of the 3-day trial. Her testimony happened behind closed doors on the order of the court, with state prosecutors asking the court to take extra measures to protect her identity as a video circulated on social media last month that allegedly identified who the woman accusing Dani Alves of rape is.

Dani Alves claimed that their sexual encounter was consensual. However, his accuser testified that she met Alves in a VIP area of the Sutton nightclub after midnight. She went there with a friend and a cousin to the upscale nightclub, where she accompanied Alves into a private bathroom. She claimed that the footballer slapped her and used insulting language before raping her.

However, one of the officers who responded to the incident and testified on the second day of the trial stated that the woman told him, "I don't want money, I want justice."

The nightclub manager also testified, admitting that the accuser voluntarily went with Alves to the bathroom. However, when she wanted to leave, Alves would not let her. This was when she was sexually assaulted by the soccer star.

Dani Alves's Mother Spread Accuser's Name on Social Media

As to who spread the identity of the accuser, it turned out to be Lucia Alves, the mother of the suspect, Dani Alves. She was present during the hearing on Monday, but the BBC pointed out that she herself could face prosecution.

Just before the trial, the elder Alves reportedly name-dropped the accuser in a post on social media. This sparked all the protection efforts for the plaintiff as the court struggled to keep her name private soon after.

Spain Placing Spotlight on Sexual Assault After Winning Women's World Cup

Spain has been rallying against sexual assault since they won the Women's World Cup last year, when then-Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales planted on the lips of Jenni Hermos during the victory celebration. This kiss was not consensual.

According to The Independent, this placed the spotlight on Alves's trial even more, as consent is now a factor in sexual assault cases, with the country adding an increased minimum jail time for such assaults that involved violence, such as the Alves case.

READ MORE: Brazil: Where Soccer is Treated Like a Religion

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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