'Sexual Violence Against Girls Increased by 67 Percent'

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The number of girls who were brought to security units because of being subjected to sexual violence increased by 67 percent between 2014 and 2017, according to the figures of the Ministry of Interior.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice Chair Gamze Akkuş İlgezdi said that the number of the girls who suffered from drugs increased by 79 percent, and the number of the girls who were subjected to injuries increased by 6 percent in the given time.

A total of 51,748 girls were subjected to sexual violence between 2014 and 2017.

"A social disease"

"These figures show that not only adults but also children are the victims of the male violence," said Akkuş İlgezdi.

Asserting that the violence against women and girls is spreading "like a social disease," Akkuş İlgezdi said, "Violence against children and women is a global problem. This is a known fact. But in our country, women and girls being despised on moral grounds are used as a tool to justify male violence."

"The notion of violence mostly appears as physical violence. But from human trafficking to domestic violence, from sexual violence to marriages at early ages, we face different forms of violence. Femicides are the most hurting type of human rights violations, as a combination of all forms of violence," Akkuş İlgezdi added.

"Ministry of Women should be established"

Saying that "As the politics bless the masculine language, women and children became more vulnerable," Akkuş İlgezdi suggested that the Ministry of Women should be established.

"Girls younger than 11 became targets"

Citing the figures of the Ministry of Interior, Akkuş İlgezdi gave the following information:

• The figures show that masculine violence targets girls younger than 11 for the most times. 1,304 girls applied to security units in 2014 because of sexual violence. This number became 2,536, with a 96 percent increase.
• 24 percent of the girls who were brought to security units between 2014 and 2017 were within the age group 12-14. In this time, the number of girls in this age group who were subjected to sexual violence reached 12,616.
• Girls of the age group 15-17 are subjected to masculine violence for the most times. The figures show that 61 percent of the girls are between 15 and 17 years old. In 2014, 6,091 girls in this age group were subjected to sexual violence. In 2017, this number became 9,586. The increase is 36 percent.
• 110,110 girls applied to security units on the ground of injury between 2014 and 2017. The number of girls who were subjected to violence increased by 6 percent. 26,505 violence cases were recorded in 2014. It increased to 28,173 in 2017.
• 32 percent of the girls were younger than 11. From 2014 to 2017, the number of girls who were brought to security units increased by 9.4 percent, became 35,542.

(AÖ/VK)