Stating that 46% of sexual crimes in Turkey are committed against children, experts remind that not reporting neglect and abuse to authorized institutions is a crime.
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp, Head of Child Development Department at Üsküdar University, drew attention to the importance of notifying the competent authorities in cases of sexual harassment and abuse against children, which have been widely discussed in recent days.
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp made the following evaluations:
We need education as a society!
"Unfortunately, we have been shaken by sexual abuse cases again. Our country shows a bad image in this regard due to increasing cases. According to the 2015 Turkey Report of the End Child Sex Work, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children for the Purpose of Sex (ECPAT), 46% of sexual crimes in Turkey are committed against children, at least 650 children are sexually abused every month and there are 50 thousand child sex slaves in Turkey. According to 2014 data from the Ministry of Justice, 650 cases of child sexual abuse are sent to the forensic medicine institution every month. Sixty-one percent of total convictions are for crimes against the sexual integrity of children. If we consider the sexual assaults that cannot be recorded, the picture is much more grave. So what should we do about this issue? As a society, we need education on sexual abuse. First of all, we should make a total effort to prevent abuse, and then we should be knowledgeable and sensitive about reporting abuse cases."
Where should abuse be reported?
Stating that abuse should be reported to 155 Alo Police line, 156 Alo Gendarmerie line, the nearest Police Station or the Public Prosecutor's Office, Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp said, "If there is a suspicion of sexual abuse, Alo 183 can also be called. The Alo 183 line provides information and guidance on services for families, women, children, disabled, elderly, relatives of martyrs and veterans. If there is a problem in reaching the prosecutor's office outside of working hours, you should apply to the police station to which your neighborhood is connected."
Failure to report is also a crime!
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp said, "The most important issue that needs to be emphasized here is that it is a crime not to report the crime of abuse to the competent authorities." Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp said, "According to the Turkish Penal Code; a person who does not report a crime being committed to the competent authorities is punished with imprisonment for up to one year. If a public official or healthcare professional fails to report, this penalty can be up to two years."
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp said, "As a final word, it is necessary to report such crimes against our children, the apple of our eyes, the assurance of our future, not to avoid punishment, but as a duty for humanitarian reasons and with a conscientious sense of responsibility."