I am Oliwia, I am 22-year-old and I come from Poland, and this is my story in regards to what

happened at Dino M.s.

In July 2013 I started a trip around Europe with my friend Marzena, both from Poland. First we
went around Poland, then to the Czech Republic and later to Austria. In Austria we were
hosted by a young men we had found via Couchsurfing, he was very nice to us and all went
well. On the 17th of July we arrived to Italy at went to Padua where we had found another host
via Couchsurfing, Leonardo M..
Leonardo picked us up from the train station, and he already had another couchsurfers along,
an Asian looking girl called Lisa. She later explained she was his girlfriend at the time and
was from Hong-Kong. She left the day after our arrival.
Leonardo drove us with his Alfa Romeo to his flat, on Filippo Lippi street, I was impressed
because he was drinking very fast and, I thought, dangerously. Anyhow, as soon as we got
home Leonardo showed us the room we would stay in. At that point Leonardo explained there
was some mishap with his CouchSurfing.com account, it was banned because he had
received too many positive references and the system got stuck. I discovered only much later
that it was banned as some women told the Safety Team of Couchsurfing what had happened
to them at their stay at Leonardos.
Continuing speaking about the account, Leonardo said he was hosting my friend Marzena
and me out of the new account, and had received three more girls, two bisexual fro Portugal
and a girl from Kazakhstan, out of the old (banned) one.
He would thus give me the keys to his flat, while Lisa and him would go and spend the night
at friends. He added the night after he would show us some nightlife in Padua, if we wished
to. We agreed. So our first night was sorted this way: Marzena, myself and the girl from
Kazakhstan slept together in the guest room, while the two bisexual girls slept in Leonardos
bed.
The night passed with no trauma. The next day Marzena and I woke early and went to visit
Venice. When we got back to Leonardos in the evening, we found a woman in his flat, who
claimed being mother. She only spoke Italian so we could not communicate much but she
gave us some cookies while we were waiting for Leonardo come back from work.
Once back, he took us to the city centre, to a pub, where he offered us some glasses of wine
and some popcorn. Then he drove us to a kind of club, where he offered us some beer. An
hour later we got back to his flat. Leonardos mother was sleeping in his bed, and Leonardo
proposed us to go to the balcony, where he served us some white wine. It
was only a tiny bit, only to check its taste. Then, he said, we had to taste a red wine he made
himself. He brought a big plastic bottled and serve us only a tiny bit. He then went to the
kitchen and stayed away for some time. In the meantime we were chatting among ourselves.
Then Leonardo came back with two small glasses with vodka inside. Marzena declined the
offer, while I drunk mine. I am used to drink and I was feeling normal. But I remember
standing up all at once and going to the kitchen, I dont remember why, and after that I have
no clue what happened. Also Marzena went black out after the balcony chat.

The memories I have from that night are only from much hours later, of the early morning, and
I have them as flashes. I recall one specific moment in which Leonardo was in a bed with me
and he was kissing me. I had no idea about what was going on. I was complete torpid, I could
not feel my body nor rightly perceive situation. I must have lost consciousness again as I have
a blackout from this moment onwards, until another clear memory of two-second long
moment of sexual intercourse. Of being raped. And after this I blacked-out again.
Then I remember another few seconds: somebody had started knocking at the door.
Leonardo responded, just a second he aid, and started dressing up. I lost consciousness
again.
I finally woke up on 19 July 2013. I was feeling numb, confused and sick. It wasn't like a
hangover, but more like I was intoxicated with something. I looked around and figured out I
was nude and I was in Leonardo M.'s bed. His mother was sitting next by and was solving
crosswords. At that point I realised Leonardo was there too. He asked me if I wanted a towel
to cover myself. I nodded.
I went to the room Marzena was in, she was awaken, I know I must have packed by things, at
that point, but I dont remember how and when. We had a ride fixed with BlaBlaCar.com
service, a guy who gave us a ride until Pesaro, Italy. I slept during the whole trip, I was so
tired. Marzen woke me up when we got there about 10 pm. In Pesaro we were hosted by
another couchsurfer, who was nice to us. When I got up the next morning I finally started to
realise something very bad had happened to me at Leonardos. But I was not yet aware I had
been raped. I felt weird about remembering, and decided not to think about it. I was back
home only on 25 July 2013.
At that point I decided I had to write to Leonardo and ask him what had really happened. And
that is the moment he admitted we had sex, but he made me think it was my fault, that I
wanted it, that there was attraction between us. He also proposed me, and I decline. I asked if
I would be pregnant, he said not to worry about that. I was desperate, I felt broken inside, I
would never have sex with a man I dont like, a dont love. I felt nobody would want me after
that.
In September Marcia managed to find Marzena and asked her if something weird had
happened to us. Marzena immediately told me, and asked if something happened to me
there. That is the moment I admitted to her and myself: I was sexually used against my will. I
was raped. We entered the online forum Marcia created and started to seek all information
possible on Leonardo and try and get organised to denounce him.
I also spoke to Lisa, the Asian girl who was Leonardos girlfriend at the time we were there.
They had also met via Couchsurfing, he told us. I wanted to ask if something bad happened
to her. She said it was weird that she also felt dizzy once there, and was very sorry about
what had happened to me. But we never spoke further.
At the beginning of October 2013 I went to the Polish Police to file a denounce. My filing was
sent to the local Prosecutor Office, that dismissed the case soon after because of no
evidence found. Today we can finally talk to an Italian Prosecutor Office about it.