One in 90 children in Türkiye fall victim to crime, reveals official data

Approximately one in 90 children have fallen victim to crime in Türkiye, with cases largely involving assault and sexual offenses, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).

The disturbing statistics come after the tragic murder of Narin Guran, whose body was discovered in a streambed in Diyarbakir, drawing attention to violence against children.

Her case has been widely discussed, with officials speculating that “she might have seen something she shouldn’t have.”

At the end of 2023, Türkiye’s population stood at 85 million, with 22.2 million children.

Of these, 242,875 were reported to security forces either directly or through third parties because of victimization.

Over 217,000 children fall victim to crime in 2023

According to TUIK data, 89.7% of the children brought to the attention of security forces in 2023 were crime victims, while 10.2% were involved in cases requiring follow-up.

Out of the 217,915 crime victims, 61.3% were involved in assault cases, while 11.8% were linked to sexual offenses, 8.6% to crimes against family order, 4.4% to threats and 13.9% to other offenses.

2 million children victims between 2015 to 2023

Between 2015 and 2023, more than 2 million children in Türkiye were reported to security forces as victims.

The annual numbers reveal a troubling increase, with 259,106 cases in 2022, 207,999 in 2021, and 170,961 in 2020.

The numbers have been fluctuating but have remained high, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of children in the country.

In 2023, 133,626 cases involved assault, while sexual offenses affected 25,685 children. Other significant categories included deprivation of liberty (6,626 cases) and crimes against family order.

The numbers from previous years show similar trends, with assault and sexual crimes consistently representing the largest portion of offenses.

Nationwide attention on child violence after the murder of Narin Guran

Moreover, according to a 2023 report by the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics under the Ministry of Justice, violence and abuse remain among Türkiye’s most pressing issues.

The report shows prosecutors received 66,138 files related to the crime of child sexual abuse, also that 14,919 cases involving “child sexual abuse” were concluded in 2023.

Among these, 6,656 cases resulted in convictions, while 6,211 ended in acquittals. Legal proceedings continue in other cases.