14-year-old girl returned to stepfather convicted of raping her

Salim Uzun - Antalya

A 14-year-old girl in the southern Turkish province of Antalya has returned to her stepfather who was convicted of raping her.

The girl, identified only as Ayşe K., had accused her stepfather of abusing her since she was 10 years old.

The girl’s mother divorced the man, who was consequently sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Antalya Regional Court.

According to their attorney Burcu Erten, an “odd” series of events started after the conviction.

“Firstly, the mother withdrew her criminal complaint against the man. I asked her whether she was under pressure. She did not answer,” Erten said, adding that she was waiting for a decision from the Court of Cassation to finalize the regional court’s ruling.

“Ayşe resisted and initially did not withdraw her complaint. However, I have learned the mother recently reunited with the stepfather and then Ayşe also withdrew her complaint,” the attorney added.

Despite specialist reports that confirm her earlier testimony about child abuse, in a new written statement, the girl said she had lied to force her mother to divorce her stepfather.

“Now, she is living in the same house with her stepfather. Unfortunately, we could not save her. As a lawyer, I think she was directed by coercion. They also discharged me from my duty to represent them legally,” Erten said.

The mother’s sister also questioned the woman’s stance. “It is mind-boggling that my sister withdrew her complaint. I stopped talking to her after learning this decision because I was a witness of what had happened in the past,” she said.