Corona Virus Hits Turkish Parliament

to avoid punishment  men who have sex with u-18 girls can marry their victims 

law to be introduced to parliament in Turkey

“marry-your-rapist” bill sparked fury among women’s rights campaigners 
legitimises child marriage, statutory rape, child abuse and sexual exploitation.

similar bill defeated in Turkey in 2016 after national and global outrage
UN warned bill would generate landscape of impunity for child abuse 

victims vulnerable to experiencing additional mistreatment and distress 

“Marry-your-rapist” bills are pushed to protect and safeguard family “honour” 

bill "provides impunity for perpetrators of child sexual exploitation"

discriminatory bill, regressive, removes legal protections for girls

Similar 'marry-your-rapist' legal provisions in Middle East and North Africa

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia have removed these loopholes

legal age of consent is 18 in Turkey
child marriage estimates : 482,908 girls in last decade

38% Turkish women suffered physical or sexual violence from a partner 

409 women murdered by partner or family member in 2017 
Erdogan said equality between men and women “against nature” 

Erdogan said :

1. cannot put women and men on equal footing, against nature

2. urged women to have at least three children 

3. woman’s life “incomplete” if she did not reproduce 

4.  woman who says ‘I am working I will not be a mother’ denying her feminity

5. woman who rejects motherhood is deficient, incomplete

My comments :

Of course men and women are physically not equal. 

The average American male (20 - 39 yrs old) weighs 197 pounds.

The average American female is 30 pounds lighter.

Usain Bolt holds the world record (men) for the 100 meters at 9.58 seconds.

The very feminine Florence Griffith Joyner or FloJo holds the women's record at 10.49 seconds.

Florence G Joyner 1959 -1998

But those are physical aspects. 

Intellectually men and women are not equal either.

All over the world women seem to achieve higher levels of education than men.

And statistics do show that women have (on average) slightly higher IQ than men.

This is a late 20th century phenomenon and is increasing all over the world.

In modern manufacturing female workers can outproduce male workers.

The same applies in modern agriculture.

Males outperform females in heavy manufacturing and heavy labour like construction. Males are still better at lifting 50 kg bags of cement all day.

The world is constantly changing, and for a very large part it is changing for the better.

The right word to use is modernising.

Etymology of 'modern' - From Middle French moderne, from Late Latin modernus; from Latin modo (“just now”), originally modus (“measure”); hence, by measure, "just now".

Modern relates to measuring the uptodate status of something.  

So it is very appropriate to ask questions like : 

Is this the latest technology?

Is this the latest version of this engine?

Is this the newest design?

Is this the most effective method?

Is this the most uptodate software?

Is this the latest surgical method ?

These are everyday questions which everyone asks. 

Why do we ask this everyday question?

Because as human beings we need to reassure ourselves that our species the human beings are progressing. 

That our lives are improving today compared to yesterday.

And that tomorrow will see more improvement than today. 

So we really want to constantly modernise.

That is the key to our success as the human species.

So with reference to today, anything that does not provide scope for 'modernising' has to be Stone Age. Jahiliyah or ignorant. 

Culture, traditions (including superstitions) and religion are not modern.

They seek to preserve the old (traditional Japanese sword making).

Or they seek to be stuck in a rut (religion).

Hence traditional swordmaking and swords have no practical use to human beings.

Other than displaying them on a wall or for recreational use (in a dozo).

What about religion ? 

Religion is the opposite of modern.

There is no such thing as the latest, the newest or uptodate in religion.

Religion is as uptodate as its age.

If a religion is 5000 years old, then its adherents are dinosaurs.

If a religion is 1000 years old then its adherents are dinosaurs.

There is no progression (modernisation) beyond the age of that religion.

That is why you see the type of arguments to justify forcing under aged girls to marry their 'rapists' or 'partners' in places like Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East. 

These regions still suffer an overdose of religion and old traditions.

Which means they are not modern.

Without modernisation they have to be backward.

There is no compromise between the two.

Of course I am talking about organised religion only. 

Of course I consider myself a thoroughly modern human being.

Of course I must believe in an orderly way of life.