Joint statement of 83 women’s associations in Turkey to government: ‘Step back!’
83 women’s associations in Turkey have released a joint statement condemning the proposal of AKP where child molesters get impunity from punishment if they wed the victim and demanding them to immediately step back and withdraw their proposal.
According to the reports of Bianet news portal, in addition to objecting to this latest bill, the signatories of the joint statement also made note of the previous efforts of AKP to lower the age of consent in Turkey to 12.
Underlining that these current regulations serve for the protection of abusers, women also drew attention in their statement that ‘this is an attempt to prepare the ground for legalizing encountarence of girls as young as 12 with sexual abuse, forced marriage, and domestic violence’.
There was already a similar article in Turkey’s penal code prior to 2005 where ‘a molester was to get acquitted should there be a marriage between the two.’ With the pressing efforts of human rights advocates and women, this article had been lifted. However, the latest proposal of AKP suggests this act to be now applied to even ‘children’.
Also emphasizing that the current efforts of AKP officials are truly taking Turkey severely backwards, women called on to ‘all women, associations, political parties, and the media to give support to this struggle for annulment of these shameful legal regulations.’
Below is the list of signatory associations:
17+ Alevi Women, Adana Cosmopolitan Municipality City Council of Women, Aka-Der Women’s Activities, Akdam – Adana Women’s Solidarity Center and Shelter, Ankara Feminist Collective, Ankara Women’s Platform, Antalya Feminist Collective, Antalya Women’s Solidarity Center and Shelter, Europe Women Lobby of Turkey, Ayvalık Independent Women Initiative, Mersin Independent Women’s Association, Bodrum Women’s Solidarity Association, BPS Federation of Women in International Business, Buca Evka, Association of Fight against Sexual Abuse, Çanakkale Handcrafts and Women’s Solidarity Center, Çiğli Evka, Union of Progressive Workers Women’s Branch, Association of Disabled Women, Enkad, Equality Watch Group, Women’s Branch of Equality Coalition, Women for Equality and Justice, Equal Life Foundation, Filmmor Women Cooperation, Legal Aid for the Sexually Abused Inmates, Göztepe L’animo Women’s Association, Günebakan Women’s Association, Hevi LGBTI Association, Human Rights Association Ankara Women’s Commission, İzmir Independent Women’s Initiative, İzmir Women’s Solidarity Foundation, Ka-Der, Foundation for Solidarity with Women, Urgent Action against Homicide of Women, Women’s Solidarity Association, Women Labor Association, Women Labor Collective, Council of Women’s Freedom, Women’s Party, Human Rights of Women, New Solutions, Women’s Coalition, Kagider, Kahdem, Campus Witches, Kayseri Women’s Solidarity Association, KESK Women’s Branch, Kekesor LGBT, Red Pepper Association, Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association, Kocaeli Women’s Platform, Koza Women’s Association, Lesbian and Bisexual Feminists, Menteşe City Council of Wome, Mor Çatı (Purple Roof – all sub branches), Muğla Women’s Solidarity Group, Free Young Women, Pink Life LGBT, Samandağ Women’s Association, SODA, Socialist Women’s Councils, SPOD, Non-violence Center’s Women, Women’s Task Force on Turkish Penal Code 103, Turkish Chamber of Architects and Engineeres, TODAP, Turkish Medical Association Women’s Branches, Turkish Women’s Association, Federation of Women of Turkey, College Women of Turkey, Beyond Nations Women’s Issues, Collective of Women in Colleges, Vakad (shut-down by government), Life House, New Democratic Women, Women of the Earth, Green Feminists, Yoğurtçu Women Forum.