Police on Friday in Rome arrested a Romanian man for assaulting a countrywoman with a lead pipe and trying to force her to work as a prostitute.
The man faces charges of grievous bodily harm, attempted sexual violence and extortion aimed at forced prostitution, police said.
Police held the Romanian in a wooded area of northern Rome after receiving an emergency call from the woman and rapidly traced him to the location, helped by her loud screams.
The woman had a large bruise on her chest where the Romanian had allegedly struck her with the lead pipe which police recovered from his nearby shack.
The man had also seized the woman's phone and identity documents belonging to her and her son, and had abused her on previous occasions, the woman told police.
The Romanian was detained at Rome's Regina Coeli jail and the woman was due to be transferred to a shelter where she will receive counselling to get over her ordeal, police said.
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