Turkeys ‘marry your rapist’ bill to be introduced

[NatyoCheese]

Apologies if this has already been posted, I’ve just seen this and it’s left me feeling disgusted.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-marry-rapist-bill-child-marriage-a9296681.html

A law which would allow men accused of having sex with girls who are under 18 to avoid punishment if they marry their victims is set to be introduced to parliament in Turkey..... Critics argue the legislation, which the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is urging the government to axe, not only legitimises child marriage and statutory rape but also paves the way for child abuse and sexual exploitation

How many times are they going to 'debate' this? It's already been thrown out at least once.
Will this prevent Turkey from joining the EU? I don't just mean if they pass it, it shouldn't even be up for debate.

It's horrendous.

I don't think Turkey will be joining the EU now for may reasons - but this has to be another nail in the coffin.

Considering their president said equality between the sexes isn’t ‘natural’ and a woman is ‘incomplete’ if she doesn’t reproduce, it’s no surprise really that they are pushing for these barbaric legislations that push women’s rights back decades.

I would hope the EU would take a firm stand with leadership like that, EU protections may well be good for women in turkey though. Although I’m not clued up enough on that really.

Sad fact is that not every culture/country in the world as are far along the path towards women's rights and status as equal as we are in the west.

There is no path, goal or destination that we are all heading towards. The idea that women are not the equal of men is held by men everywhere.
That sense of entitlement is the fundamental cause of the inequality women face, everywhere.

This is awful

Turkey feels quite close to home, to me. It’s barbaric to think they want to bring in new laws that give less protection to minors and legitimise child sex abuse. Especially when many countries like this are trying to move the other direction with regards to women’s and girls rights, even if that is due to pressure rather than having any moral compass.

I don’t think the law will pass. I bloody hope it doesn’t, it’s disgusting & I really think it would affect their tourism industry. It’s heading the way of Saudi Arabia!

I used to think Turkey was relatively moderate and progressive compared to other Muslim countries. I hope this law gets thrown out instead of passed.

Especially when many countries like this are trying to move the other direction with regards to women’s and girls rights, even if that is due to pressure rather than having any moral compass.

Yes, I doubt many of the advancements of women's rights around the world is due to some profound shift in moral compass on the part of politicians, most of whom are men. It looks good for trade and business to be seen as complying with certain international standards. Whatever the motivation, I'd rather have that instead of awful laws like this one on the table.

That is horrific and just disgusting.

Easy to forget how fragile womens and girls' rights actually are.

I also agree with theinebriati upthread that the contempt with which too many men hold women is pretty universal to all countries. I think it is useful to bring the problem back to males, universally, and the cultures and societies which favour men over women. Otherwise people start to back away from having discussions about sexism in other cultures for fear of being branded racist.

Turkeys voting for rapists.

Twenty years ago I had Turkish flatmates at university and I remember one of them laughing himself to the point of tears at the idea of his Mum wearing a veil. It's disturbing just how quickly what was seen as the model secular Muslim state has gone backwards.

Sad fact is that not every culture/country in the world as are far along the path towards women's rights and status as equal as we are in the west.

Probably should make that 'Europe' rather than 'the West'. Obviously, it's vile and completely unacceptable wherever it happens - it's such a shame to see Turkey regressing from its secular, equalist ideals.

https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2018/feb/06/it-put-an-end-to-my-childhood-the-hidden-scandal-of-us-child-marriage

Turkey feels quite close to home, to me.
Me too. Where I live in London we have a large Turkish/Turkish Cypriot community, lots of Turkish-speaking businesses etc. Quite literally my neighbours. It’s bonkers to think that (possibly) their relatives back home are voting for this. Although I guess I know ex-pats, many may be ex-pats for good reason.

Is there not a mechanism via the UN or something, that can protect against these kind of laws being passed?

If the EU let them in then I'm glad we're out!

@Jargoyle Turkey is not a member of the EU. Never has been. Now we're going to be independent, and able to make up our own laws, just like Turkey does!

One needs to be a bit careful here: the cultural context is different.

The age of consent in Turkey is 18. Out in the rural hinterland, where couples marry young, this has meant that 18\19 year olds have been charged with rape and imprisoned for having sex with their 17 year old wives, to much distress of the families involved.

Such communities have complained about this situation for some time, as the age of consent law criminalises their traditional cultural behaviours surrounding marriage, young people and sex, and also criminalises behaviour that would not be illegal in a vast number of other countries.

Turkish legislators appear unwilling to lower the age of consent, so it strikes me that this law is intended to solve this particularly unique Turkish problem. Only the Independent has reported the issue from a particularly uninformed stance.

Hmm I’m not sure.
Legislation such as this is very open to abuse by rapists and leaves girls vulnerable.
If that’s the case, more sensible legislation would include non prosecution for smaller age gaps in consensual situations or something similar. For example in the Uk, although it’s classed as statutory rape, the law isn’t there to prosecute 16 year olds having consensual sex with their 15 year old girlfriends and it’s unlikely the 16 yo would be prosecuted.
This seems like a very bad way to ‘fix’ a problem like that.

This has been going on for years in many countries. There was a recent BBC documentary about girls in the USA being married off to the men who have underage sex with them to avoid being prosecuted for statutory rape. And the families go along with it.

Shocking stuff.

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Turkey is not a member of the EU. Never has been.

Hence why I said 'if they let Turkey in.