Report reveals systematic sexual abuse of 13-year-old girl

ISTANBUL

A court has decided to reopen the case of a 13-year-old after it was revealed that she was systematically raped for two years by several men in her neighborhood who threatened her with her footage shared online.

The girl, identified only by the initial H., was first sexually abused by a schoolmate. In 2010 in Istanbul’s Sultanbeyli district, a schoolmate invited H., then 13 years old, to his house and raped her while recording the whole incident.

Following this incident, she was forced to have sexual intercourse for two years by people who lived in the same neighborhood or went to the same school with her, threatening her with this video footage. Around 15 people blackmailed H. to have intercourse with them by threatening her that if she didn't, they would send the footage to her family and her brother in prison.

Following H.'s complaint, an investigation was launched. The report received during the investigation stated that H. had developed "post-traumatic stress disorder" and "major depression" as a result of the sexual assault she had experienced since 2010, that this condition continued and that her mental health was impaired.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office pressed charges of "unlawful restraint" and "aggravated sexual abuse of a minor" against 15 individuals.

During the 10-year trial, the defendants denied the charges against them and demanded their acquittal.

Two defendants were cleared of charges, whereas the remaining individuals received jail terms of various lengths.

However, the court overturned the verdict and decided to retry the defendants.