Rape, sexual assault: the dark side of Spain's San Fermin celebrations

The San Fermin fiestas on now in Pamplona are famous all over the world for the running of the bulls or "encierros" event and eight days of partying that sees the city's population quadruple from around 250,000 to almost a million.

However, in spite of police efforts and those of the local authority, however, there is a darker side to the celebrations.

According to El Pais newspaper, there have been four rapes and seven sexual assaults reported in the first five days of this year's San Fermin fiesta. Twelve people were arrested in connection with the offenses.

These crimes come despite a campaign to raise awareness of sex attacks by Town Hall and women's groups in the days leading up to the celebrations, and the presence of security cameras and around 3,400 police officers on patrol during the festivities.

Pamplona's Public Safety Councilor Aritz Romero, told El Pais he didn't think the problem was limited to San Fermin.

"I don't think that anything different is happening in Pamplona that isn't happening in other cities where there are fiestas, we have just taken measures to deal with it," he said.

Pilar Mayo, Pamplona City Hall's equality councilor, explained that a mixture of too much drink, drugs, and an "anything goes" atmosphere meant some men "think that the festivities include women's bodies."

After a rape on the first night of the celebrations on July 6, tens of thousands of people took part in a demonstration against sexual aggression, while the local authority issued a statement, asking those attending the fiesta to be, "active in stopping any kind of attack against women and to help and to support women who have been attacked and to isolate the aggressor."

Meanwhile, Mayor Joseba Asiron confirmed that anyone involved in a sexual assault would be "pursued and punished."

Local police issued a statement thanking people for helping women who had been attacked and helping to prevent other assaults. Endit