Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying, mental health and rape which some readers may find distressing.
In 2022, Noelia Castillo Ramos was living in a state-supervised centre for vulnerable young people when she was the victim of a brutal gang rape.
The horrific incident added to her existing mental health battles and left her traumatised.
Suffering deeply, the 25-year-old from Barcelona, Spain, attempted to take her own life but survived. However, she was left paralysed from the waist down, having gotten a major spinal cord injury.
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Living in chronic pain, Noelia’s mental health continued to deteriorate. And today (26 March), despite pleas from her family, she is set to end her life by assisted dying. She said in a recent interview that she just wants to ‘leave in peace’ after having suffered for years.
Noelia has been given approval by the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court in Spain for euthanasia.
Her condition has been deemed as ‘serious, chronic and disabling’ under the country’s laws around euthanasia.
The woman’s parents have however tried to intervene previously, as they say she suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder.
Noelia spent parts of her life in institutional care and was ‘relying on’ Spain’s ‘mental healthcare system’ before she was raped.
Her father appealed against the decision, with support from the conservative advocacy group Abogados Cristianos (Chritian Lawyers). He argued that the woman’s mental health was affecting her ability to make a free and informed decision.
However, the court dismissed his appeal and decided to honour Noelia’s request for euthanasia. It was maintained that there was ‘no violation of fundamental rights’ with it decided she had the ‘full capacity to decide’.
Her mum, Yolando, has said she does ‘not agree’ but that she ‘will always be by her side’.
In a final interview, she added: “If she doesn’t want to live, I can’t take it anymore.”
Yolanda admitted that she had been hoping that ‘at the last minute’ Noelia would say ‘I regret it’.
Noelia told local news: “None of my family is in favour of euthanasia. But I think, all the pain I’ve suffered over the years… I just want to leave in peace now and stop suffering, period.
“And a father’s, or a mother’s, or a sister’s happiness doesn’t have to come before a daughter’s happiness or sadness of a daughter’s life.”
LADbible travelled the Isle of Man, where assisted dying is set to be introduced after being voted through by its local parliament, to interview those deeply affected by the issue:
For advice, support, and more information, you can contact the nurse-led specialist team at Compassion in Dying via their helpline 0800 999 2434. You can also email them at [email protected].
Additionally, if you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
Topics: Mental Health, Europe
Jess Battison