The house where Salma was held captive / Ph. Nacho García - La Verdad ‹ › The Association of Moroccan Workers and Immigrants (ATIM) in Spain's Murcia region has strongly condemned a harrowing case of gender-based violence revealed in San José de la Vega. Salma, a 38-year-old Moroccan woman, endured two years of captivity and abuse at the hands of her former partner before finally managing to escape. «This horrific and intolerable situation, confirmed by the National Police, requires an urgent and united response from society», said Sabah Yaacoubi Chennig, vice president of ATIM in Spain and head of the association's Murcia branch. In a statement to Yabiladi, the NGO pledged to provide legal support to the victim. The case came to light following Salma's escape and the arrest of the suspect on Wednesday. The abuse reportedly began in April 2024, when Salma disappeared after being allegedly held captive by a 54-year-old Spanish man, identified as Alberto S., a divorced resident of Los Dolores. According to La Verdad, the victim suffered severe injuries, including the loss of several teeth and partial loss of vision in one eye due to repeated beatings. Salma recounted being tied to a stretcher, assaulted, confined to a bathroom without light or heating, and threatened with death if she attempted to flee. During a search of the property, authorities seized knives, firearms, drugs, and the stretcher described by the victim. Police also discovered a shed allegedly used to cultivate cannabis for sale. Neighbors, quoted by local media, acknowledged hearing Salma's cries for help but initially dismissed them as a domestic dispute. Alberto now faces charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, and domestic violence and is scheduled to appear before the prosecutor's office in Murcia on Friday. Two neighbors and a family member have also been arrested for failing to report the abuse.
