Assault of peregrina by hostal worker at Hostal Camino Real

[Toiling Midget]

I'm walking the Camino now. Two days ago, when we stayed in Calzadilla de la Cueza (the 1st town after Carrion de Los Condes), a man followed my hiking partner to the room while the rest of our group was having dinner, and assaulted her. That was bad enough, but when we reported the crime to the woman (chubby, long light brown hair, mid-30s) hostal worker, things got really weird.

The woman refused to believe the peregrina who was attacked, refused to cooperate in any way when we told her we wanted to report the crime to the police, and lied to us repeatedly. We finally managed to piece together that the man who attacked the peregrina is the brother of the owner of Hostal Camino Real. After more than an hour of arguing with this woman and the attacker, we got them to call the police. The police were very professional, and the peregrina was properly taken care of by the Spanish authorities the next day. I am happy to report that they took this crime seriously, and also that they process incidents involving pilgrims quickly so we can be on our way again.

I cannot understand the behavior of these hostal workers towards us, their customers. Personally, I will never go near this place again after the callous way we were treated. The only positive spin I can put on this is that this man now has a police record, so maybe he will think before he grabs a peregrina again.

The police said this was a strong case because we had identified the attacker, had his name, and another pilgrim had recorded the argument we had with the man and woman of the hostal, and the man changed his story from saying he did nothing to admitting that he did part of what the peregrina accused him of doing. Also the woman's lies are recorded, and their attempts to bribe us (rejected, of course.)

I don't know what will happen to this man, if he and the woman will still work at the hostal, restaurant, and albergue in Calzadilla de la Cueza, so I'd like to warn all peregrinas and anyone else who is disgusted by the behavior of these people to avoid these businesses. I hope the owner of the businesses in Calzadilla de la Cuerza will do the right thing and make sure his brother and the woman no longer have access to pilgrims. Meanwhile, there is a very nice hostal at Terradillos de Templarios that is run by decent people.

One thing the woman said to us was to just forget the incident and walk on the next day. She said, you are foreign and peregrinas, he is a native and lives here, so nothing will be done if you report him. I wonder if he has done this before, and this was her advice to other peregrinas, who decided to walk on. So, anyone else out there who had a problem with the tall, heavy-set man, about 50, black hair with some gray? Might strengthen the case against him if he has a pattern of molesting women pilgrims. You could contact police in Palencia.

 

[HermanTheGerman]

Thanks for the information. We had been planning on staying at this place in October but will now be giving it a wide birth. A horrible thing to happen on a journey that is supposed to be spiritually enlightening. Such behavior is intolerable. Good thing you reported it, as he would have done it repeatedly knowing that he could get away with it time after time. Don't mess with the pilgrims!

Buen Camino!

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

 

[David]

So sorry - but bravo to you both for insisting on following it up. The sister was trying to protect her brother, which is obviously NOT the right thing to do. The police are very good in Spain; Spain has one eighth of the crime we have in the uk, and they really do take assault upon a person - especially a woman - very seriously indeed.
Your action will cause change there, I am sure.

Buen Camino to the both of you

and please do remember Matthew 10:16- "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

 

[whariwharangi]

One thing the woman said to us was to just forget the incident and walk on the next day. She said, you are foreign and peregrinas, he is a native and lives here, so nothing will be done if you report him. I wonder if he has done this before, and this was her advice to other peregrinas, who decided to walk on.

The problem is if it does go to court you will be asked to testify. If you don't show up ... and you likely won't because of logistics involved ... nothing will be done.

 

[Tincatinker]

@whariwharangi. The original post on this dates from July 2013 and the OP has not returned to the forum since November of that year. I guess we will never know what the outcome of any Police action was. A search hasn't found any further adverse comment about this hotel.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Thank you for bringing us back around there Tink. I had not noticed that it was dated back in 2013. Now I do remember reading this a few years ago.

Buen Camino and good job.. Ed

 

[whariwharangi]

@whariwharangi. The original post on this dates from July 2013 and the OP has not returned to the forum since November of that year. I guess we will never know what the outcome of any Police action was. A search hasn't found any further adverse comment about this hotel.

Its amazing how these older posts come up.

 

[grayland]

The resurrection does serve the purpose of highlighting how the reporting should be done. The fact that nothing more has been reported on the albergue ("edit... hostal") may reflect that the authorities did, in fact, put the situation right.

Further...it reminds us that some of the present events were happening earlier.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

that nothing more has been reported on that albergue

Actually, the attack was at the hostal which is some distance from the albergue operated by the same people. A new albergue was built by the junta in 2014 for overflow, but it does not have hot water, and the key is kept by the other albergue.

Reviews on Eroski regularly reflect on the actions of albergues, but it does not seem to collect comments on hostales/hoteles.

The absence of more reports may not mean an absence of incidents. But the story does reflect on an excellent way to handle and assault. Get the police regardless of what it takes.

 

[amorfati1]

Yes indeed they were. (Events happening)
I wonder about the perception that this is a new " thing". Incidences have been reported/ mentioned before.
But perhaps the attention of denise's disappearance has gotten the most traction and attention and now it appears that those incidences dropped off the blue skies. ...which is perhaps a perceptions, but perceptions don't equal facts nor truth.
Luckily.

 

[lunna]

As safe as the caminos are, in general, I do worry about women walking it alone. Best to do it in a pairs, and I realize this is a shame, since walking the camino alone (at least part of the time) is, for me, so necessary for my soul. It's really not fair, but a sad fact of life.

 

[C clearly]

I do worry about women walking it alone. Best to do it in a pairs... It's really not fair, but a sad fact of life.

Although I appreciate the intent and advice to take appropriate precautions, I don't accept that I need to conduct my life and all my excursions with a companion! There are many situations that are too risky for my comfort, but the Camino is not one of them. That is a happy fact of life for me. I walk the camino with the same precautions as I walk my local parks.

 

[Anniesantiago]

As safe as the caminos are, in general, I do worry about women walking it alone. Best to do it in a pairs, and I realize this is a shame, since walking the camino alone (at least part of the time) is, for me, so necessary for my soul. It's really not fair, but a sad fact of life.

I do not buy it.
I don't believe it MUST be a fact of life.
One pilgrim was murdered.
One in so many years in the whole North of Spain.

Im 63.
When I was 10, I slept every night out on our farm, in the middle of nowhere, next to an open window. This was more than half a century ago. One night, a teenaged neighbor, our closest neighbor, was murdered. Her name was Marlene Miller. Her parents had gone to church and she had stayed home to sew a dress for her prom. I remember that night vividly because our dog, Mickey, had been barking and barking, and my grandfather was frustrated because he wouldn't shut up, and yet we could see no car lights, no reason for him to bark. Marlene's father came looking for her after they returned home and couldn't find her. My grandfather joined he and other neighbors to look for her. They found her floating in the canal that ran between our farms, raped, stabbed, and strangled with a towel.

Horrible!
Horrifying!

It took some time to find the guilty party, and people still discuss whether or not they arrested the right man.

However, the very next night, I slept right next to that open window.
And we didn't start locking our doors at night until the 2000's.

The difference between then and now, I believe, is media.
The media whips us up into a frenzy of fear.
Fifty years ago, we didn't hear about every rape, murder, and violent act.
We heard the big National News and we heard what went on in our own communities.

I believe too much news has made us paranoid, myself included.
I'm not saying I disagree that women are going to walk in pairs, because I let myself be frightened into wanting a walking mate on the Madrid Route.

I don't regret having a walking mate - but I do regret the reason I did it.

What I AM saying is that when I stop and use my BRAIN instead of letting my fear drive me, I absolutely believe in my heart of hearts that it is still safer on the Camino than on any other place I might walk.
And I don't believe it must be a fact of life.
I will continue to walk the Camino alone - and I will refuse to live by fear.
I won't allow it to be a fact of my life.
I hope this made sense.

 

[lunna]

And I'm sure all will be well as you hike solo. Still, please be careful.

 

[C clearly]

Still, please be careful.

Same as always, everywhere!

 

[journeycakes]

I hiked solo in 2013 and 2015 sometimes I was "with" or near other people while walking. Both times I overnighted in Calzadilla de la Cueza at Albergue Camino Real and both times I dined in the restaurant at Hostal Camino Real. Thankfully all went well for me both times.

 

[wayfarer]

The OP posted in July 2013... I see no point in revisiting this topic unless there is fresh first hand news.

 

[journeycakes]

The OP posted in July 2013... I see no point in revisiting this topic unless there is fresh first hand news.

A link to this page surfaced in on one of the Facebook Camino groups today, and it felt acceptable to state that my experience at the two properties owned by this family as a solo female walker, sleeper and diner was satisfactory and turned out to be safe. While cautioning all walkers (male and female) to watch out for their safety, fear mongering is not helpful.