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The AKP’s bill on marrying off the children with their rapists and sexual harassers should immediately be withdrawn!

By November 18, 2016October 18th, 2022No Comments

NO

TO RAPE                                                                   

TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE                                                 

TO MARRYING OFF THE VICTIM CHILD WITH THE RAPIST                

TO AMNESTY TO THE RAPISTS                                                    

We will not accept any bill that legitimizes “rape” of women and children.  

The AKP’s bill on marrying off the children with their rapists and sexual harassers should immediately be withdrawn!

A last-minute bill was proposed on Thursday night, 17 November 2016 to the General Assembly of GNAT (Grand National Assembly of Turkey) by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) İstanbul Deputy Mehmet Muş, İstanbul Deputy Halis Dalkılıç, Kocaeli Deputy İlyas Şeker, Kırıkkale Deputy Ramazan Can, Hatay Deputy Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu and Osmaniye Deputy Mücahit Durmuşoğlu. The bill proposes the suspension and consequent pardoning following the limitation period, of the crimes of sexual harassment perpetrated prior to 16 November 2016 if the perpetrator marries the victim.

In addition to this bill, the ruling party currently discusses whether to lower the age of consent for sexual intercourse to 12 by means of making amendments to the Article No.103 of the Turkish Penal Code (TPC) despite sustained objections of women’s organizations. If the Article No.103 passes into law as suggested above, the majority of the perpetrators who are currently on trial or will be on trial as convicts of sexual abuse will have the right to assert that “the child gave consent” and avoid punishment. Thus, the amendments to the Article No.103 of the TCC, as well as the bill proposed on the night of November 17 will put in place both retrospective and prospective regulations.

  1. With the amendment to the Article No.103, the age of consent for sexual intercourse will be lowered to 12 from 15 and the perpetrators of ongoing criminal suits and those who will be convicted of sexual harassment in the future will be exempt from criminal punishment.
  2. The bill proposed on the night of 17 November paves the way to retrospective remission of punishment for the sexual harassers. The bill aims at pardoning of the past sexual crimes and the releasing of child sexual harassers.
  3. The “legal ground” is being laid down that will result in sexual violence against girls aged 12 and above and in marrying off them with their sexual harassers.

Both the amnesty bill proposed as a fait accompli and approved with the votes of AKP and the amendment to the Article No.103 that will result in lowering of the legal age of consent to 12, are against the rights of the child and woman and violate international obligations. Therefore, they cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Threats and violence against the vested rights of women and girls have exponentially increased in Turkey. Among the most dangerous of all these threats are the amendment to the Article No.103 of TPC and the bill approved unanimously by AKP deputies, which might be passed into law at any moment. The article stating “releasing the perpetrator in cases where the perpetrator marries the victim” was amended with the campaigns of the women’s organizations during the TPC Reform in 2004 when the TPC Woman Platform demanded that the foregoing article be changed. Approval of the proposed amendment and the bill means that this article will be restored in law again. And this, beyond any doubt, will be a regression in the vested legal rights of the women and girls!

While there is a worldwide fight against child sexual abuse, and forced marriages and child marriages are prohibited and the minimum age of marriage is increased around the world, the course of events in Turkey is extremely worrisome. Those who wish to lower the age of consent to 12, who have proposed the amnesty bill for the convicts of child sexual abuse and those who approved the bill should urgently reverse this wrong. Doing otherwise, will lead to irreversible consequences and marks the usurpation of the rights of the children and women by the Parliament, the representatives of the public.

To correct this dire mistake,

WE CALL ON

all political parties at the GNAT, the press and media organizations, the sensible public, and notably all the women to;

  • Support the fight for the protection of the current legal rights of women and children,
  • Support the withdrawal of the bill and demand that the Amendment to Article No.103 to be done in collaboration with the organizations for women’s and children’s rights so as to avoid the victimization of children,
  • Support us to remove the Article No.103 of TPC from the omnibus bill prior to the session to be held at the GNAT on 18 November at 14:00 during which this omnibus bill will be voted on.

SIGNATORIES:

(21.11.2016 Updated list)

  1. 5 Harfliler
  2. 17+ Alevi Kadınlar / 17+ Alevi Women
  3. Adalar Vakfı Kadın Çalışma Grubu
  4. Adana Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kent Konseyi Kadın Meclisi / Adana Cosmopolitan Municipality City Council Women’s Assembly
  5. Aka-Der Kadın Faaliyeti
  6. Adana Kadın Dayanışma Merkezi ve Sığınmaevi Derneği / Akdam – Adana Women’s Solidarity Center and Shelter Akdam –
  7. Almanya Göçmen Kadınlar Birliği
  8. Ankara Feminist Kolektif / Ankara Feminist Collective
  9. Ankara Kadın Platformu / Ankara Women’s Platform
  10. Antalya Feminist Kolektif / Antalya Feminist Collective
  11. Antalya Kadın Danışma Merkezi ve Dayanışma Derneği /Antalya Women’s Solidarity Center and Shelter
  12. Avrupa Kadın Lobisi Türkiye / European Women’s Lobby, Turkey
  13. Aydın Kadın Efeler Derneği
  14. Ayvalık Bağımsız Kadın İnisiyatifi / Ayvalık Independent Women’s Initiative
  15. Bağımsız Kadın Derneği Mersin / Mersin Independent Woman Association
  16. Bilgi Kadın / Bilgi Women
  17. Bodrum Kadın Dayanışma Derneği / Bodrum Women’s Solidarity Association
  18. BPW Türkiye – İş ve Meslek Sahibi Kadınlar Federasyonu / BPW Turkey – Federation of Business and Professional Women
  19. Buca Evka-1 Women’s Culture and Solidarity (Bekev)
  20. Cinsel Şiddetle Mücadele Derneği / Association for Struggle Against Sexual Violence
  21. CEİD – Cinsiyet Eşitliği İzleme Derneği /Association for Monitoring Gender Equality
  22. Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği Kadın ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet Çalışma Grubu / Progressive Lawyers Association Women and Gender Working Group
  23. Çanakkale El Emeğini Değerlendirme Ve Kadın Danışma Merkezi –Elder / Women’s Hand Made Work Valuation Association – Women’s Consulting Center/ Elder
  24. Çiğli Evka-2 Kadın Kültür Derneği (Çekev) / Çiğli Evka 2 Women’s Culture House Association / Çekev
  25. Datça Kadın Girişimi / Datça Women’s Association
  26. Demir Leblebi Kadın Derneği / Demir Leblebi Women’s Associaiton
  27. Demokratik Kadın Hareketi / Democratic Women’s Movement
  28. Disk Kadın Komisyonu / Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DİSK) Women’s Committee
  29. Edirne Çocuk Hakları Derneği
  30. Ege Kadın Buluşması Platformu
  31. Engelli Kadın Derneği – Enkad / Association of Women With Disabilities
  32. Erktolia
  33. EŞİTİZ – Eşitlik İzleme Kadın Grubu / Equality Watch Women’s Group
  34. Eşitlik Koalisyonu Kadın Grubu
  35. Eşitlik ve Adalet İçin Kadın Grubu / Women for Equality and Justice
  36. Eşit Yaşam Derneği / Equal Life Association
  37. Ev Eksenli Çalışan Kadınlar Çalışma Grubu / Home Based Working Women Study Group – Ankara
  38. EVKAD Adana / Housewives Solidarity and Development Association EVKAD – Adana
  39. Faaliyeti Durdurulan VAKAD’ın Emekçileri/ Working Women of Suspended VAKAD
  40. Femin Art Uluslararası Kadın Sanatçılar Derneği
  41. Fethiye Kadın Platformu
  42. Filmmor Kadın Kooperatifi / Filmmor Women’s Cooperative
  43. FKF’li Kadınlar
  44. Göz Altında Cinsel Taciz ve Tecavüze Karşı Hukuki Yardım Bürosu
  45. Göztepe Dayanismasi L’animo Kadın Grubu
  46. Günebakan  Kadın Derneği / Günebakan Women Association
  47. Hevi LGBTİ Derneği
  48. İHD Ankara Şube Kadın Komisyonu / Women’s Commission of Human Rights Association, Ankara
  49. İlerici Kadınlar Meclisi
  50. İzmir Amargi
  51. İzmir Bağımsız Kadın İnisiyatifi / İzmir Independent Women’s Initiative
  52. İzmir Kadın Dayanışma Derneği / İzmir Women’s Solidarity Association
  53. Ka-Der – Kadın Adayları Destekleme Derneği / Association for Support of Women Candidates
  54. Ka-Der – Kadın Adayları Destekleme Derneği Ankara Şubesi / Association for Support of Women Candidates Ankara
  55. Kadav – Kadınlarla Dayanışma Vakfı / Women’s Solidarity Foundation
  56. Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu / We Will Stop Femicides Platform
  57. Kadın Cinayetlerine Karşı Acil Önlem Grubu / Platform for Urgent Action Against Femicide
  58. Kadın Dayanışma Vakfı / The Foundation for Women’s  Solidarity
  59. Kadın Emeği Derneği / Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work
  60. Kadın Emeği Kolektifi
  61. Kadın Özgürlük Meclisi / Women’s Freed Assembly (KÖM)
  62. Kadın Partisi / Women’s Party
  63. Kadının İnsan Hakları – Yeni Çözümler Derneği / Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways
  64. Kadın Koalisyonu / Women’s Coalition
  65. Kadın Yazarlar Derneği
  66. Kagider – Türkiye Kadın Girişimciler Derneği / Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey
  67. Kahdem – Kadınlara Hukuki Destek Merkezi
  68. Kampüs Cadıları / Campus Witches
  69. KAOS GL Derneği / KAOS GL Association
  70. Kapadokya Kadın Dayanışma Derneği / Kapadokya Women’s Solidarity Association
  71. Karadeniz Kadın Dayanışma Derneği / Karadeniz Women’s Solidarity Association
  72. Karya Kadın Derneği / Karya Women’s Association
  73. Kayseri Kadın Dayanışma Derneği / Kayseri Women’s Solidarity Association
  74. KAZETE Bağımsız Kadın Gazetesi / KAZETE Independent Women’s Newspaper
  75. Kazeteder – Kadın Erkek Eşitliği Derneği
  76. Kazdağlı Kadınlar / Women from Kazdağı
  77. KEFA – Kadın Emeği Çalışan Feminist Araştırmacılar Grubu / Feminist Researchers Studying Women’s Labor KEFA
  78. KESK Kadın Meclisi / Confederation of Public Workers Union (KESK) Women’s Assembly
  79. Keskesor  LGBT
  80. Kırmızı Biber Derneği / Red Pepper Association
  81. Kırmızı Şemsiye Cinsel Sağlık ve İnsan Hakları Derneği / Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association
  82. Kocaeli Kadın Platformu / Kocaeli Women’s Platform
  83. Koza Kadın Derneği  / Koza Women’s Association
  84. Lambda İstanbul / Lambdaİstanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association
  85. Lezbiyen Biseksüel Feministler / Lesbian Bisexual Feminists
  86. Mardin Ortak Kadın ve İşbirliği Derneği
  87. Marmara Grubu Vakfı
  88. Menteşe Kent Konseyi Kadın Meclisi
  89. Mersin 7 Renk LGBT Derneği
  90. Muğla Emek Benim Kadın Derneği
  91. Mor Çatı Kadın Sığınağı Vakfı
  92. Mor Çetele
  93. Mor Dayanışma / Purple Association for Women’s Solidarity
  94. Mor Pusula
  95. Mor Salkım Kadın Dayanışma Derneği
  96. Muğla Kadın Dayanışma Grubu / Muğla Women’s Solidarity Association
  97. Özgür Genç Kadın
  98. Özgür Renkler Derneği
  99. Pembe Hayat LGBTT Derneği / Pink Life LGBTT Assocaition
  100.  Samandağ Kadın Dayanışma Derneği
  101.  SODA – Sosyal Dayanışma Ağı
  102.  Sosyalist Kadın Meclisleri
  103.  SPOD – Sosyal Politikalar Cinsiyet Kimliği ve Cinsel Yönelim Çalışmaları Derneği / Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Works Association
  104.  Şiddetsizlik Merkezi’nden Kadınlar/ Women from Nonviolent Education and Research Association
  105.  TCK 103 Kadın Çalışma Grubu / TPC Art. 103 Women’s Working Group
  106.  TMMOB İstanbul Kadın Komisyon / Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers   and Architects Istanbul Women’s Commission
  107.  TODAP – Toplumsal Dayanışma İçin Psikologlar Derneği Kadın Komisyonu
  108.  Toplumcu Kadın Psikologlar
  109.  Trabzon Demokratik Kadın Platformu
  110.  Türkiye Aile Sağlığı ve Planlaması Vakfı / Turkish Family Health and Planning   Foundation
  111.  TTB Kadın Hekimlik Kadın ve Sağlığı Kolu / Turkish Medical Association Women Medicine and Woman and Health Branch
  112.  Türk Kadınlar Birliği / Turkish Women’s Union
  113.  Türkiye Kadın Dernekleri Federasyonu / Federation of Women’s Associations of Turkey
  114.  Türk Üniversiteli Kadınlar Derneği / Turkish Association of University Women
  115.  Uçan Süpürge Kadın İletişim ve Araştırma Derneği / Flying Broom Communication and Research Association
  116.  Ulusötesi Kadın Konuları Merkezi Derneği / Center for Transnational Women’s   Issues
  117.  Üniversiteli Kadın Kolektifi
  118.  Yaşam Evi Kadın Dayanışma Derneği
  119.  Yeni Demokrat Kadın
  120.  Yeryüzü Kadınları
  121.  Yeşil Feministler
  122.  Yoğurtçu Kadın Forumu
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