A tale of abuse, sexual and psychological violence, in a work environment marked by "isolation, control, and terror" in the Caribbean paradise. This is what emerges from an exclusive investigation by elDiario.es and Univision Noticias, which gathered testimonies from two former employees of Julio Iglesias and led to the opening of a confidential preliminary investigation by the Spanish Public Prosecutor's Office. The two women, a domestic worker and a physiotherapist, described working as interns in 2021 at the residences of the celebrated Spanish artist, now 82, between Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Lyford Cay (Bahamas). "The interviews describe conditions of isolation for the women, labor disputes, and a climate of constant tension," writes elDiario.es, emphasizing that the extensive testimonies, collected over a year, are "consistent and supported by documentary evidence and medical reports."
The first alleged victim, Rebecca, was 22 at the time of the incident. She claims that Iglesias, then 77, would often call her into his room at the end of the work day. "He used me almost every night. I felt like an object, like a slave," with no way to resist. In her lengthy testimony, she describes non-consensual sexual acts and repeated assaults, which, according to her, sometimes occurred in the presence of a superior. She also describes "humiliation" and physical and verbal abuse. The second woman, Laura, 28, the singer's personal physiotherapist, reports unwanted kissing, touching, and non-consensual sex. "We were on the beach and he came over and touched my nipples," she said, describing similar assaults also by the pool at Iglesias's luxury resort in Punta Cana. Both speak of a system that would have "normalized abuse," starting with recruitment: social media ads targeting young women, requests for body photos, and intimate questions upon arrival.
Over the three years of the investigation, journalists contacted a total of 15 former employees whose descriptions "converge on a climate of tension, normalized mistreatment, and conditions of isolation for female staff." They attempted to contact both Julio Iglesias and his lawyer, but received no response to their inquiries. On January 5, the international organization Women's Link Worldwide filed a complaint with the National Court's Prosecutor's Office for alleged "crimes against freedom and sexual identity, such as sexual abuse and assault," and for alleged "human trafficking for the purpose of imposing forced labor and servitude" on behalf of the two former employees, who dared not give "public testimony" of the abuse they had suffered. One of the two victims finally decided to speak out, because "the idea that Iglesias could do to others what he did to me keeps me awake at night," she said through tears. With over 300 million records sold and a career that has made him one of the world's most celebrated Latin artists, Julio Iglesias has not commented. The Prosecutor's Office will now decide whether to proceed with the case or dismiss it.
(Unioneonline)
