Hazel Behan, who says she was raped by the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, believes Portuguese authorities failed to investigate her case properly.
A Westmeath woman, who says she was raped by the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, has lodged a case before the European Court of Human Rights.
Hazel Behan from Mullingar says the Portuguese authorities failed to investigate her sexual assault properly.
She was in Praia de Rocha in 2004, where she says she was sexually assaulted by German man Christan Bruckner.
She gave evidence in a German trial about how he broke into her apartment and attacked her but he was acquitted.
Burckner is the main suspect in the disappearance of 3 year old Madeleine McCann, who went missing in 2007.
She cites a number of reasons including that Portuguese police approached her to return to Ireland, as her allegations were damaging the tourism industry.
She says is standing up for herself after being silenced for too long.
Darragh Mackin, Solicitor for Ms Behan said: “The European Court of Human Rights exists for a reason. It exists to ensure victims like Hazel Behan are guaranteed a minimum level of protections across the various member states. Through this action, Hazel has highlighted the systematic and inexcusable failings by the Portuguese authorities has denied her and many other victims, justice for nearly two decades. These failings have ultimately contributed to the acquittal of one of the most high profile perpetrators in modern history. This case is about ensuring that victims of sexual violence are not ignored, dismissed, or silenced by the very systems that are meant to protect them."
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