'Every Seven of 10 Suspects of Violence on Women Not Prosecuted'

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The law on protecting women from violence is not being fully implemented as most suspects are not prosecuted, according to a report based on Justice Ministry figures by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice-Chair and İstanbul MP Gamze Akkuş-İlgezdi.

According to the figures, courts have issued protective orders for 510,114 women since Law No. 6284 to Protect Family and Prevent Violence against Women, which came into force in March 2012.

In the last eight years, the number of protective orders has increased by 171 percent, from 31,038 in 2012 to 83,987 in 2018, Akkuş-İlgezdi noted. However, the number of women whose applications for a protective were rejected has also increased, according to data. While 6,246 women's applications were rejected in 2012, it has increased by 74 percent to 10,889 in 2018.

Between 2012 and 2018, prosecutors decided not to prosecute 15,194 suspects out of 21,601. In other words, seven out of 10 suspects of violence on women were not prosecuted, she noted.

The number of suspects who were not prosecuted was 2,048 in 2012. It increased by 58 percent to 3,245 in 2018.

"The figures show that violence against women is 'ignored' by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, who are responsible for enforcing the law. While women try to avoid violence, they try not to be crushed between the wheels of bureaucracy," Akkuş-İlgezdi remarked.

"Because there is a judicial system that does not find it necessary to prosecute three out of every five suspects complained to the prosecutor's office on the grounds that he is committing violence against women.

"Only in 2018, a protective order was issued for four out of every five women who applied to the court on the grounds that they were subjected to violence. This ambivalent attitude legitimizes violence. Because there is a system that accepts that women are subjected to violence but does not feel the need to punish the perpetrator. " (EMK/VK)