'Child abusers can't be pardoned'

*Abuse is a crime, it can't be justified. (File photo)

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The TCK 103 Women's Platform against Child Abuse held an online press briefing against the government's reported plans to pardon convicts of some child abusers in case they marry the children they abused.

According to a law proposal text circulated on social media in April, people abusing children as young as 13 years old will be in the scope of the pardon law unless they are not more than 15 years older than the child.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted a similar law proposal in 2016 but withdrew it after reactions. Since then, the topic comes to the fore from time to time.

CLICK - Joint Statement by 46 Bar Associations: Child Abuse Cannot be Granted Amnesty

"We are fighting 24/7"

Attorney Hülya Gülbahar spoke first, saying that the authorities should state that they gave up the proposal and it should be entirely removed from Turkey's agenda.

"Against this law proposal, we are following the parliament 24/7, we are fighting," she said.

"They want to put into use a parallel law by reducing the age of sexual intercourse with children from 15 to 13. We are talking about the future of millions of girls, the future of the country. We may witness the rape of 12-13-year-old girls by 70-year-old men under the name of marriage.

"Also there might be impunity for all cases of abuse in the past and in the future. Thousands of girls' futures will fall apart at the moment they pass the law, which they say is for 264 people.

"This is a model of a society, where underage children are mothers and fathers. A society project that targets the poor. The age difference between peers can be three or five, not 15. We can't consider the marriage of a child with someone 15 years older than her a 'relationship between peers.'

"Amnesty for children's sexual abuse as against not only the national legislation but also international conventions."

Protests will be held on Saturday

Zelal Ayman read out a press statement, which included data from recent studies on child abuse, and said that simultaneous demonstrations will be held against the amnesty on Saturday (July 12).

According to a 2014 study by Hacettepe University titled, "Study on Domestic Violence Against Women," 9 percent of women in Turkey stated that they were exposed to sexual abuse before the age of 15.

According to the Demography and Health Survey in 2018 by the same university:

Among those who are in the 20-24 age group, 2 percent got married before the age of 15 and 14.7 percent got married before the age of 18.

46 percent of the decisions for marriage were made by the couples' families.

33 percent of women became mothers while they were still children.

Child abuse has increased

According to the judicial statistics for 2019 announced by the Ministry of Justice, sexual abuse of children has reached the peak of the last 8 years. As many as 28,360 lawsuits were filed for sexual abuse of children.

According to a 2020 survey by Havle Women's Association, only one percent of the participants said they would let their children marry.

Who will be pardoned?

According to the text circulated on social media, the following people will be pardoned:

Those who have been tried, sentenced for sexual abuse/rape against children

Those who were unmarried at the date of the incident

Those who had sexual intercourse with a child who is at least 13 years old

Those who had sexual intercourse with a child 15 years younger than them at most. (EMK/VK)