2 men arrested, 4 sought in Brazilian gang rape

Brazilian police have arrested two men and are searching for four others suspected in the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl and the posting of a graphic video of her online.

According to state-run news agency Agencia Brasil, the suspects are 22-year-old Rai Souza, who turned himself into police, and 20-year-old Lucas Perdomo, a local football player, CNN reported.

Also on Tuesday, Interim President Michel Temer announced the creation of a special task force to fight violence against women.

"We are seeing a growing wave of violence in a number of sectors, but in particular in relation to women," Temer told an emergency meeting of security chiefs from across the country.

"We must work together, if not to eliminate, at least to reduce this evil that is so heavily impacting our society."

The scandal erupted on May 21 when a 38-second video was posted to Twitter, showing the victim naked and unconscious while male voices bragged about "at least 30" people having sex with her.

The police delegate in charge of the investigation told journalists she is convinced the 16-year-old is the victim of rape, but further investigation is needed to determine how many people were involved.

"My conviction is that there was rape. So much so that it's on the video," Cristiana Bento said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"What I want to prove now is the extent of the rape. If there were five, ten or thirty."

According to a statement she is reported to have given to police, the girl woke up on May 22, naked and wounded, and made her way home.

Only days later, she found out that some of the alleged rapists had put images of the attack on Twitter.

--IANS

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