TURKEY’s Parliament
Say NO to Impunity for child sexual abusers, protect victims from forced marriage with their aggressor
EuroMed Rights strongly denounces a parliamentary motion proposed on 17 November aimed at changing the current child abuse law that would avoid prosecution and defer sentencing of men tried for sexually abuse of minors if they marry their victims.
If passed, this reform would be a way out of prison for men convicted of child abuse, if they contracted marriage with their victim before 11 November 2016. This measure would guarantee impunity for child abusers and it would also mean re-victimizing the girls by forcing them to marry and live with their aggressor.
Turkey already has one of the highest rates of child marriage in Europe. Official data indicates that an estimated 15% of girls are married before the age of 18, but in rural areas this rate may reach about 50% of girls, due to the prevalence of unofficial traditional and religious unions.
The Parliament will vote again on the motion on Tuesday 22 November. If passed, this reform will constitute a serious backlash on women’s and children’s rights in Turkey. We hence call on the members of the Turkish Parliament to honor the upcoming International Day to fight Violence against Women by voting against this harmful measure.
Read more:
http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/turkey/