Outrage as Turkish men could legally rape underage girls if they then marry victims

A DISTURBING law allowing men to avoid punishment for raping young girls by marrying their victims is set to be introduced to parliament in Turkey. Lawmakers are planning to introduce the bill at the end of January. The People’s Democrat Party is warning the legislation would legitimise child marriage and statutory rape and pave the […]

A DISTURBING law allowing men to avoid punishment for raping young girls by marrying their victims is set to be introduced to parliament in Turkey.

Lawmakers are planning to introduce the bill at the end of January.

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Protesters hold placards as they march during a demonstration to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women[/caption]

AFP - Getty

A Turkish girl, wearing a wedding dress and covered with fake bruises, stands in front of other protesters[/caption]

The People’s Democrat Party is warning the legislation would legitimise child marriage and statutory rape and pave the way for child sexual exploitation.

Suad Abu-Dayyeh, a campaigner for Equality Now told The Independent: “I applaud the brave work of women’s rights campaigners in Turkey who are taking a stand against this discriminatory bill and pushing back again regressive forces that are seeking to remove current legal protections for girls.

“Similar ‘marry-your-rapist’ legal provisions have been on the statute books of countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

“Thanks to years of campaigning by women’s rights activists and lawmakers, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Palestine have all removed these loopholes in recent years.

“Rather than attempting to introduce legislation that harms women’s rights and protections, Turkish lawmakers should take heed of these advances in repealing gender discriminatory laws.”

While the legal age of consent is 18 in Turkey, a 2018 government report on child marriage estimates a total of 482,908 girls were married in the last decade.

Violence against women and girls is prevalent in Turkey – with 38 per cent of Turkish women having suffered physical or sexual violence from a partner according to the United Nations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said equality between men and women is “against nature” at a summit in Istanbul in 2014.

A similar “marry-your-rapist” bill was defeated in Turkey in 2016 after national and global outrage.

The legislation would have only pardoned men if they had sex without “force or threat”.

EPA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said equality between men and women is “against nature”[/caption]