Turkey plans to introduce law allowing rapists to marry their victims to avoid prosecution

A LAW allowing men accused of raping underage girls to avoid punishment by marrying their victims is to be introduced in Turkey.

The controversial “marry-your-rapist” bill is due to be introduced into the Turkish parliament at the end of January. 

A similar bill was defeated in Turkey in 2016 after outrage. This legislation would have only absolved men of their crimes if they had sex “without force or threat”.

The newer legislation, then, appears to be a step up from previous attempts, something which has angered Turkish women’s rights campaigners

They have claimed the legislation legitimises child marriage and statutory rape, also allowing child abuse and sexual exploitation in the process.

The opposition, People’s Democratic Party (HDP), is now urging the government to axe the legislation plans. 

In 2016, United Nations agencies warned a bill of this kind could leave victims vulnerable to experiencing more mistreatment and abuse from their rapists.

The laws have been introduced in a number of places across the world, and have been tied into the idea of protecting the family’s “honour”.

The UN say 38% of women in Turkey have suffered physical or sexual violence from a partner.