In 2023, Turkey experienced a remarkable 62.4 percent rise in sexual offense investigations, as reported by the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Statistics 2023 report indicated that 193,212 sexual offense investigations were initiated last year, an increase from 118,959 in 2022. The most recent statistics have incited concern among activists and detractors, who attribute the deteriorating situation to the government’s permissive approach to gender-based violence.
Child sexual abuse was the most prevalent among the reported incidents, with 66,138 investigations conducted. Additional categories comprised 63,003 instances of sexual harassment, 36,397 instances of sexual assault, and 27,674 instances of sexual contact with children. Notwithstanding the elevated incidence of offenses, the court system seems inadequate in providing justice for victims.
Of the 43,458 individuals prosecuted in criminal courts for purported sexual offenses in 2023, merely 15,244 were found guilty. Remarkably, almost fifty percent of these guilty persons — 7,014 — were granted suspended sentences, leading to allegations that the system exhibits excessive leniency towards offenders of sexual violence.
The increase in sexual assaults occurs alongside wider apprehensions regarding women’s rights and safety in Turkey. Femicides and violence against women have persisted as chronic issues in the country, where women are subjected to murder, rape, or assault daily. Critics assert that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) administration has intensified the situation by allegedly shielding violent and abusive males through the provision of impunity.
The government’s contentious choice to exit the Istanbul Convention in 2021 is often referenced as a pivotal moment. Ratified in 2011, the Convention constituted a crucial accord mandating member governments to implement stringent measures against domestic violence and safeguard victims. In an unforeseen nocturnal proclamation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared Turkey’s withdrawal, contending that the accord conflicted with the nation’s conservative principles. The action elicited extensive denunciation both nationally and globally, with numerous individuals cautioning that it would result in a rise in gender-based violence.
A spokesman for a leading Turkish women’s rights organization stated, “This recent data evidences the government’s policies are detrimental to women and children.” “Given that offenders are receiving suspended sentences and the government demonstrates a lack of commitment to enhancing protections, it is unsurprising that an increasing number of women feel unsafe.”
The ramifications of Turkey’s policy shift are evident in its global position regarding gender equality. The nation was positioned 127th out of 146 nations in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024, a bleak result that underscores the country’s challenges with gender disparities in health, education, economic engagement, and political empowerment.
The increasing incidence of sexual offenses and the judiciary’s seeming indulgence towards perpetrators have incited popular indignation and demands for immediate reforms. Activists are advocating for more stringent legal measures to ensure accountability for perpetrators and to restore the rights afforded by the Istanbul Convention.
The figures signify not merely statistics, but lives devastated by violence and abuse, the representative stated. The government is obligated to safeguard its citizens, and it is not fulfilling this duty.
As Turkey confronts these challenges, there is increasing pressure on the AKP administration to implement a more vigorous strategy to address gender-based violence and reinstate confidence in the legal system. The potential for these appeals to result in concrete changes is questionable; but, as public awareness and international scrutiny increase, Turkey’s management of this issue will be meticulously observed in the forthcoming months.
