Woman dies by euthanasia after becoming paraplegic trying to commit suicide after gang rape

[AComplicatedWoman]

This is one of the most heartbreaking news stories I have come across.

Noelia Castillo had a difficult childhood and spent much of it in care homes. She was sexually assaulted by her ex-boyfriend of four years after she had taken sleeping pills to help her sleep, and was assaulted on another occasion by several men in a nightclub. She attempted suicide in October 2022, and it left her unable to use her legs and in a wheelchair. Noelia conducted a long legal battle with her father for the right to end her life and she died by euthanasia on Thursday.

RIP Noelia. I am so sorry that your life was destroyed by these abhorrent abusive men.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/noelia-castillo-euthanasia-law-spain-b2946671.html

I was just reading about this. I think she had a lot of issues from her past, and then the rape was the final straw 😞

So fucking sick of men and the damage they cause across the world.
Please don't " not all men" me. Male violence is a huge problem. Regardless of how nice your Nigel is.

I read this yesterday and felt so sad for her. Difficult childhood, with dysfunctional parents.

It read as if her father’s fight to stop the euthanasia was more driven by his desire to live off her benefits than love.

Poor woman. RIP .

Poor woman! This made be ill to my core , she had loads physical and mental health and trauma but she was still young… with the right help and therapy she may have healed a bit .. instead there was no good help and she died.

Oh, I didnt see there was already a thread.

Tragic, and very disturbing. I didnt see a reason given for why she was granted permission?

'The body approved Castillo’s request based on assessments that evaluated her condition as serious and incurable, and that the 25-year-old had severe, chronic and debilitating suffering.'

Because of her disability?

She didn't want to heal a bit, she wanted to end her suffering ASAP, and that should be respected.

Just anyone who is suicidal should have that right?

I am shocked by this, which is why, I for one would never be pro state euthanasia. In Canada, where they have enthusiastically embraced euthanasia. since 2016 76,475 people have been killed by the state. A large proportion of these people are poor or unable to fight their own corner, or lack capacity to consent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_Canada

I took from that they meant her psychological state?

Im on the fence about this one. On the one hand I largely support the idea of ethanasia, the power to take control of when you end your life if you're suffering with a life long disease or terminal illness

On the other, on the surface of it, and Im probably not explaining this right, its like the only solution for her from these awful violent offenses towards her is for her to die. It feels like double abuse, we'll abuse and neglect you as a child/adult and then because of the damage that causes the only way to solve that is for you to die.

Did you miss the fact that she was also a paraplegic?

From what I understand she had spent much of her life in care due to her parents mental health issues and addictions. Being paraplegic left her incontinent and in constant pain. If she wanted to end her suffering then that was her choice. Nobody has the right to take that away from her.

This poor woman was tragically abused, and then instead of helping her, the state killed her.
I guess it would save a lot of money, no need to make care homes safe and supportive, save the money and just make them so awful that the inhabitants decide to kill themselves instead.

This poor girl had never had a life. Abandoned by her parents to a care home of rapists, failed suicide attempt leading to permanent pain and suffering. It’s terrible and breaks my heart but I’m not sure what other life was on the table for her. I can’t believe her father had the audacity to show up now instead of actually raising her.

Yes men do terrible things but they are human beings with other qualities too. I wonder how the mothers of sons feel, hearing them described as monsters in the making . Thank God for the nice Nigels.

She specifically asked the state to kill her. She tried doing it herself and made a total hash of it. The state did it for her, properly and humanely.

This. What a devastating story.

i hope she is at peace now 😔 💐

Well and this case the woman had a mother whose care was abusive and neglectful otherwise she wouldnt have been in care homes.

The issue here is whether we think the solution for abused women is for them to need to die.

Im quite surprised this being Spain too.

Exactly. The fucking audacity.

Because of her 'symptoms'.

Severe, Chronic, Debilitating.

'Healing a bit'

Is not a promising future from that position.

it's a tragedy what the poor girl went through, not having a loving supportive family or partner in this situation is unbearable.

it is awful that she wanted to end her life, but sadly understandable, you need to stop thinking you know better. You weren't there for her, you can't judge her. Or the people that made this decision.

Well, indeed. We either believe in autonomy and liberty, or we believe in state control over the individual. I personally believe that liberty starts, not ends, with bodily autonomy. Euthanasia is still evil, wrong, but it can absolutely be the lesser of two evils. There are huge parallels with abortion, something I am not supportive of at all, yet I still realise that often it is the least bad option and we should be able to discuss things with this level of clarity and honesty.

I don't think it is.

I think the issue is do people, do women, have the right to decide what to do with their own bodies and lives even if some people disagree with it.

Why do we think it is ok to kill people who are in pain and not help them! This woman was let down by everyone in her life, what kind of civilised, progressive society would kill someone and not help them?

No, but involving other people and medical professionals in this suicidal act makes it far more controversial because it potentially effects everyone because it profoundly shifts the guidelines and norms that society operates along.

She was in constant pain, incontinent, unable to be independent and unable to even sleep properly. That alone would be enough for many people to give up before you add in the mental suffering she had endured - much of which was before the horrific attacks.

I find the reporting around this case quite disingenuous honestly. It's being reported as "woman dies because she was raped" and not "woman who felt she had no quality of life for significant varied reasons decided to choose to die".

Her attacks were horrific and should be condemed. But one of the worst parts of rape is the loss of agency. Denying her choice over her own life and death is also removing agency from her. I'm glad she finally was given it back.