Women band together: We won't allow the abuse amnesty

  • women
  • 10:00 23 May 2020
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İSTANBUL - Women from different professions reacting to the "abuse amnesty" brought back to the agenda by the AKP, said that they would not allow the proposal they define as "embarrassing" to be passed through the Parliament.

The 'Amnesty to those who commit sexual abuse crime by marriage' was brought to the agenda once again and opened for discussion. While it is stated that the proposal will be submitted to the Presidency of the Parliament as soon as it is opened, reactions from all parts of the society, especially women's organizations, are growing.
 
Evaluating the amnesty proposal, women from different professions said that they will never allow such regulation to be enacted.
 
Expressing that the new law on execution being enacted is worrisome for everyone, Psychologist Ebru Sorgun Güntekin stated that the law to be enacted is a bill that protects the abuser instead of the child and leaves the child in the mercy of the abuser. Güntekin said: "The children are being punished and condemned to live the trauma for the rest of their lives, being married to their abuser. Children can not be brides, or mothers. A child being subjected to this can not be defended in any circumstance." 
 
Sociology Alumni Association (SOMDER) President Sociologist Özgür Başpınar Aktükün stated that the bill in question can only be explained by pedophilia. Aktütün said: "Pedophiles who hide behind this rape culture are the ones that want this bill to be enacted.And child abuse cases will sky rocket if this bill is actually enacted."
 
Pointing out that child abuse cases have been increasing in the country in the recent years,  Vice President of the Istanbul Bar Women's Rights Center Birsen Baş Topaloğlu said: "This bill to be enacted will cause the child abuse cases to sky rocket because the crime will dissappear when the child is married to the abuser, it will even encourage abuse.  Marrying the child to the abuser is not the way to protect the children's rights. It will only lead to the continuation of the abuse."
 
Women Are Strong Together Initiative member Çağla Akdere who stated that they have been fighting against this bill for years, said that they will never allow this bill to be enacted and they will stand against the misogynists and enemies of the children.
 
HDP Party Assembly member Esengül Demir who stated that the law first came to the agenda in 2016, and was withdrawn as a result of the reactions of women, said that the government is using the Covid outbreat as a pretext to enact their beloved bill. Stating that the women will become one against this bill, said they will take to the streets, taking precautions against the virus and never let that bill to be enacted.
 
MA / Semra Turan