New Report Means Further Trauma for Abused Child

Hüseyin Üzmez (76), a columnist for the Vakıt newspaper, stands accused of sexually abusing 14-year-old B.Ç.

His trial has causes outrage among women’s groups because the trauma of the victim has not been taken seriously and because he is being tried without detention.

Emine Öztürk of the Bursa Women’s Platform says:

“The problem is not whether Hüseyin Üzmez will be acquitted or sentences. Sexual abuse is very common and very hidden. We must ensure the independence of the Forensic Medical Board, increase the punishments for sexual abuse and demand protection for the victims.”

The court case continued in the Mudanya district of Bursa on Tuesday, 24 March.

After the controversial report from the Istanbul Forensic Medical Board’s 6th Specialist Department claiming that B.Ç. had “not sustained any psychological problems” after the abuse, it was decided that the child should be reexamined by the Istanbul Forensic Medical General Board on 16 April.

Next hearing in April

The child’s lawyers have also filed a complaint with the Yalova Heavy Penal Court, accusing the defendant of delaying the court case. The court hearing the case, the Bursa 4th Heavy Penal Court, thus postponed the next hearing until 26 May, when the results of the examination and the application would be known.

Women had gathered in front of the court building to protest against Üzmez.

At the last hearing, women had thrown eggs and umbrellas at Üzmez and some had been taken into custody.

This time, Üzmez was taken into and out of the building through a back door. A woman throwing coins at him was taken into custody.

Asked for a comment by the press, Üzmez said, “Fate is from Allah, the appraisal from the court.”

Speaking to bianet, Emine Öztürk, a psychological counsellor, said that the trial was going very slow.

Added trauma for child

“The report by the Istanbul Forensic Medical Board’s 6th Specialist Department which claimed that the child had sustained no psychological or physical damage was problematic. The report was dismissed. But this means that the victim has to be reexamined, which is traumatic.”

She also pointed out that the Üzmez case was putting pressure on the victim rather than the defendant:

“The child is crying during this period, trying to avoid giving statements and giving different statements. She is traumatised.”

She also blamed the media for publishing statements by the child and thus victimising her even more.

Every fourth person abused

What was also important for Öztürk to emphasise was that “Hüseyin Üzmez is only one name. But one in every four persons is sexually abused.”

She worries that the forensic medical board might write similar reports again in other cases, because “it is not independent of the political powers. First this independence has to be guaranteed.”

The fact that Üzmez is being tried without detention, so Öztürk, fails to offer a deterrent to others.

“Perpetrators of sexual abuse must be kept in prison, and their punishments must be increased.” (EZÖ/AG)