A series of child rapes and murders have rattled Turkey in recent months, sparking nationwide outrage and trauma. In the first four months of the year alone, 13 children perished as a result of violence or negligence. A government proposal to punish child abusers with up to 30 years in jail has failed to appease the public.
Turkey’s failure to prevent violence against children has now become one of the country’s major topics of discussion. The tally of 13 child deaths is based on incidents covered by the media, but many other cases are believed to have gone unreported.