Spain: abuse allegations against Julio Iglesias
Two former employees of singer Julio Iglesias have filed a complaint against him in Spain for human trafficking and sexual assault. The 82-year-old singer allegedly sexually harassed and humiliated employees at his villas in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021. The complaint follows a report published by the news site eldiario.es and the television station Univision Noticias after a three-year joint investigation into the incidents.
Taking this to court is heroic
Eldiario.es points to an enormous imbalance between the parties in this case:
“We know that eight to ten years pass before victims of sexual violence talk about their experiences or file a complaint. ... Because reporting a crime is quick, but legal proceedings are lengthy and expensive. ... Now let's look at the Iglesias case. A powerful, influential and wealthy man who has an army of lawyers at his disposal. ... On the other side are the women: young, from humble backgrounds, in a vulnerable situation. ... The imbalance is enormous. Filing a criminal complaint against your boss is an act of courage. Filing a complaint against someone who attacks you is an act of courage. Filing a complaint against an extremely rich and powerful man who was your boss when you are a woman with limited financial resources borders on heroism.”
Accusing celebrities as a business model
ABC doesn't believe the victims:
“The fact that these women experienced the horrors they describe without immediately resigning leads to the conclusion that either the accusations are unfounded or that the acts described were consensual and compensated. ... The shocking reports by eldiario.es would make sense and be credible if the women had refused and immediately called the police, or if they had been kidnapped or held captive and forced to submit. ... There is a business that consists of accusing artists of acts of abuse that happened a while ago. ... The whole thing will end with a payment and perhaps an apology from Julio, also pre-agreed and negotiated.”
Rich men with a sense of impunity
El Periódico de Catalunya warns all women to be wary of men with power and money:
“If you are ever invited to a mansion, don't go. Especially if the host seems charismatic and seductive. ... Some employees called [Iglesias'] mansion in Punta Cana the 'house of terror'. ... The allegations against [British author] Neil Gaiman, a man with a velvety voice and an aristocratic bearing, also have a sinister ring to them. Up to eight victims have accused him of sexual abuse and abuse of power. ... Jeffrey Epstein also owned a mansion. ... In such places, things can happen that go unpunished. ... The problem is not the mansion or the money, but the sense of impunity that these two things inspire in a powerful man.”