ANF - BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Istanbul MP Sebahat Tuncel asked for a council investigation to determine the urgent precautions against the increasing sexual assaults and rapes lately. Tuncel said “In accordance with article 98 of the Constitution and articles 104 and 105 of internal regulations, we respectfully submit a request for a council investigation to find out the affirmative discriminatory precautions to protect women and children from sexual assaults, to receive opinions from concerned women organizations and to make common projects."
The urgency for an investigation became even more significant after the cases of sexual assault, abuse and rape in Siirt and Manisa, as well as after the arrests of 16 people between the age of 16 and 63, charged with allegedly raping a 13 year-old girl in Afyon, İhsaniye County.
Besides, similar incidents in Bilecik and Çorum (like the sexual abuse of three girls by a school manager) were also mentioned in MP Tuncel's request.
The motion was as follows; “The events of which we are aware are only a small part of the sexual rapes happening in the country. The social pressure and the sense of “honor” put on women often prevent them from telling what they are going through. On the other hand on television, on newspapers and in the speeches of influential public people, we face many discourses in the society which support, legitimize and cover this abuse. So, it is proving very difficult to uncover the abuses against women and children. The judicial and procedural actions - added Tuncel - against the responsible people must be followed to the end. It is also necessary for the media to change their language and for the public officers to have a gender-neutral language." MP TUncel pointed out that "the people who legitimize the exploitation on women must urgently be banished from the education system and public institutions." Although Article 41 of the Constitution of the Turkish Republic has been amended to include a statement against the child abuse, this amendment still remains only on paper; "it is crucial - Tunce said - to put it into practice. We are proposing a council investigation commission to find out the abuse and rape incidents, to follow the legal transactions of the responsible people, to determine the urgent precautions against sexual assaults and rapes and to find the out affirmative discriminatory applications."
