Child abuse cases on the rise in Turkey, records show

ANKARA - Hürriyet

A total of 17,589 cases were opened in 2012 on child abuse. The Marmara region had 29 percent of these cases. DHA photo

Sexual abuse toward children in Turkey increased steadily between 2008 and 2012, based on criminal records.

Statistics from the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics between 2008 and 2012 show that cases of child abuse and sexual harassment were on a steady rise over the period.

A total of 17,589 cases were opened in 2012 alone on child abuse. The Marmara region ranked number one with 5,112 cases (29.1 percent of the total), while Central Anatolia came in second with 2,945 cases (16.7 percent).

The Marmara region was the location of 32.1 percent of all the sexual harassment lawsuits filed in 2012, followed by the Aegean region, which accounted for 18.3 percent of the cases.

In 2012, 15,563 actions were taken against intentional homicide, which also included attempted crimes.

The Marmara region topped the list again with some 3,405 cases placed, whereas Southeastern Anatolia came in second with 2,764 cases. Istanbul is the city with the highest rate of homicides, at 11.8 percent.