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Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse

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Kakuti. Photo via Facebook.
Georgia

‘Systemic inaction’ to blame for suicide of 14-year-old alleged rape victim

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Georgian authorities have been accused of failing a 14-year-old girl who took her own life, allegedly after she was raped. The girl was found dead on Wednesday in the village of Kakuti, near Kobuleti, in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.  She was discovered by her grandfather, who told journalists that she was sexually assaulted last year and that she ‘was worried’ that police had not arrested her attacker. He also said that months after the initial attack, her attacker confronted her and ‘

Parents of 14-year-old rape victim ‘tortured into testifying’ in Daghestan
Children's Rights

Parents of 14-year-old rape victim ‘tortured into testifying’ in Daghestan

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A couple in south-west Daghestan have accused the local police of torturing them into incriminating an innocent man for the rape of their 14-year-old daughter. Local residents of the Village of Mutsalaul, in Khasavyurt District, have protested demanding the suspect, who also says he was tortured, be released. On Monday, relatives and supporters of Musa Aliyev, who police have detained on suspicion of rape, including the parents of the victim gathered in front of the village administration b

Georgia to toughen laws on child-sex offenders
Children's Rights

Georgia to toughen laws on child-sex offenders

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The Georgian government has lodged a bill in parliament that aims to update Georgia’s Criminal Code in order to tackle sex crimes against children, including by creating a child-sex offenders registry. According to the Interior Ministry, which drafted the bill, the ‘Law on Combating Crimes against Sexual Freedom and Sexual Inviolability’ would focus on developing an effective prevention system, depriving offenders the opportunity to commit future crimes. The initiative would stipulate the

Devdariani labels sexual harassment allegations ‘gossip’ and vows to sue eight women
Georgia

Devdariani labels sexual harassment allegations ‘gossip’ and vows to sue eight women

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Zviad Devdariani, the former head of Georgian non-governmental organisation CiDA, has said he will sue eight women for ‘violating his honour and dignity’. Devdariani has faced allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault from at least 10 women. After being called for questioning at the Public Defender’s Office on Wednesday regarding the complaints against him, he called the women’s allegations ‘gossip’ and his lawyer promised the court-case would be ‘scandalous’. ‘This was an unfort

Sexual violence in the family: a taboo topic in Armenia
abuse

Sexual violence in the family: a taboo topic in Armenia

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Spousal rape and sexual violence affects many women in Armenia, and cultural taboos and shaming of victims means that women often do not come forward. While changes in the law were supposed to counter this, many activists say the problem of sexual violence remains dire, and the women affected are still left with little protection. Armine (not her real name) has married twice. Her first marriage lasted only a few days, because she found out that her husband and his step-mother were in an

Voice from Tbilisi | ‘He would marry me if I withdrew the charges’
gender

Voice from Tbilisi | ‘He would marry me if I withdrew the charges’

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‘It happened two years ago, on 20 February 2016. I had just started a new job. I was also teaching school children English and maths, which is why I had to commute from Kavtaradze Street to Sololaki. Late in the evenings and at about midnight I would come back home to Dighomi. That day I decided to walk from the metro home, as I didn’t want to pay for a taxi. I just thought I could walk, as I wasn’t afraid. I was born and grew up here.’ ‘No one heard my cries’ Women in Georgia very o

Georgian woman accuses ex-teacher of sexual abuse
Georgia

Georgian woman accuses ex-teacher of sexual abuse

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A woman from women’s rights group Sapari has accused her ex–maths teacher of sexual abuse. Mari Kurtanidze, 26, published an open letter on the organisation’s website addressing the teacher, who she says sexually abused her when she was 15. Tamaz Akubardia, now 66, insists the allegations against him are false. Police are looking into the matter, despite no official complaint being filed, according to the Interior Ministry. ‘Your skin is like silk’, Akubardia would tell her, touching her

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