The Ministry of Justice has released figures related to crimes of sexual abuse in Turkey. The data show that 70 percent of these crimes are committed against children.

According to the 2011 data, children were victim of abuses in 18,334 cases, about 70 percent of the year’s 24,000 sexual assault crimes. Within the year 7,610 convicts were charged with raping children under the age of 15. And 4,903 out of those were charged with sexual abusing children and 1,759 were charged with statutory rape. In 2,013 cases the child’s mental health deteriorated.

Within the sex crimes committed against adults, the highest proportion belongs to sexual abuse, for which 12,621 convicts were sued. In 2011, cases of rape were filed against 2,857 convicts, while the number of files on child molestation was 1,989.

In 2011, 3,715 convicts were put on trial for sexual assault against adults, while 4,903 were charged with sexual assault against children.

Some 13,812 people were sued with the charge of sexual abuse and assault against children in 2009. In 2010, the number of files within this scope increased to 17,241 and reached 18,334 in 2011. In 2009 812 legal cases were filed regarding children forced into prostitution, but in 2011 the number was 672.