Ex-Brazil footballer Dani Alves sentenced 4.5 years rape

Champions League winner Dani Alves was sentenced to jail for rape. He will appeal the ruling. The victim's testimony was consistent.

Former footballer Dani Alves was sentenced to two years in jail for raping a woman in a nightclub bathroom in Spain. The court also ordered him to serve five years' probation and pay 150,000 euros in compensation to the victim. Prosecutors had sought a nine-year jail term followed by 10 years of probation. Alves, who denies the charges, plans to appeal the ruling.

The court found that the defendant forcibly grabbed the woman, threw her to the ground, and raped her, despite her saying no and trying to leave. Alves' defense argued that the sexual encounter was consensual and that he was drunk at the time. However, the court ruled that the injuries found on the victim's knees were the result of the violence used by Alves.

The case has sparked controversy in Spain, where new legislation requires explicit consent for sex acts. The court's decision has been met with mixed reactions, with some people believing the sentence was too lenient given the physical and psychological harm caused to the victim. Alves, a highly decorated footballer, has played for top clubs such as Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He has been in detention since his arrest in January 2023 and has been denied bail multiple times.

The case has raised questions about consent, violence, and the treatment of sexual assault survivors. Despite Alves' denial of the charges, the court found the victim's testimony to be consistent and ruled in her favor. The ruling has brought attention to the need for stronger protections for assault survivors and the importance of enforcing laws that require explicit consent.