14.09.2011 - The Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse is now officially in force in Turkey.

To mark this entry into force, both punitive, regulatory measures as well as positive, practical initiatives have been announced to protect children against sexual exploitation and abuse.

The following actions are now considered a crime: arranging to meet children via internet for sexual purposes, and owning (or storing), producing, selling, distributing, broadcasting and offering child sexual abuse images.

Classes for children to better protect themselves are being offered as a preventive measure, and several practical initiatives have been proposed including: opening an emergency line for children, widely investigating statements given by children who have been the victims of sexual molestation, and creating a DNA database which will be nationally and internationally shared.

For more information, please consult the following article