26.01.2026 16:23
A.E., who was sexually abused by her grandfather until the age of 11 in Istanbul, filed a compensation lawsuit against her father and siblings for not protecting her after the man died in prison. Lawyer Gamze Serin stated, "The defendants' attitude regarding the incident is not merely a negligent silence, but an active moral violation that excludes the victim by embracing the perpetrator."
A.E, who is currently 22 years old and was subjected to systematic sexual abuse by her grandfather from the age of 5 to 11 in the Bahçelievler district of Istanbul, filed a criminal complaint following a lawsuit opened due to her cousin, who is two years younger, becoming pregnant as a result of the systematic sexual abuse inflicted by their grandfather, Durmuş Olum.
In 2021, the Bakırköy 12th High Criminal Court sentenced the defendant to 18 years in prison for the crime of child sexual abuse against A.E and 30 years in prison for his actions against A.E's two-year-younger cousin. However, the defendant Durmuş Olum died in prison at the age of 73.
During this process, it was determined that the victim A.E could not continue her education due to the sexual abuse she experienced, that she suffered from many psychological disorders according to forensic medical reports, and that she struggled to continue her life.
"SHE WANTS TO BUILD HER FUTURE"
In response, the victim A.E filed a compensation lawsuit at the Bakırköy 2nd Civil Court against the heirs of the defendant Durmuş Olum, including her father.
The victim A.E's lawyer, Gamze Serin, stated:
"My client wants to prepare for university education again in order to rebuild her life, which she had to leave unfinished due to trauma, and to build her future through her own efforts."
Considering the need for mandatory medical treatment, the disruption of my client's educational life due to the trauma of abuse, the loss of her ability to work due to disability, and the lifelong social/economic losses, it is legally impossible to ignore this situation in the calculation of material and moral compensation.
During this process, the heirs did not reject the inheritance of the abusive grandfather, continued to live in the properties left by him, and some heirs continued to support the grandfather in prison, while they did not provide my client with the slightest material or moral assistance. The moral compensation lawsuit filed by my client, which we are following, is ongoing.
The attitude of the defendants regarding the incident is not merely a negligent silence, but an active moral violation that excludes the victim by embracing the perpetrator. My client is a victim not only of the act of abuse but also of the clear abandonment of the protection that should have been directed towards her as a family in favor of the perpetrator.
For this reason, the concrete case is not an ordinary case of damage or psychological disorder, but a severe and ongoing trauma due to the collapse of the family-based social support mechanism. In light of this reality, our compensation request has become a delayed compensation mechanism that is legally necessary for the restoration of my client's human dignity, rather than any sacrifice.
This file is not just a lawsuit filed by one person; it is a door to justice opened on behalf of thousands of victims whose childhoods have been stolen, whose voices have been silenced, and who have been forced to remain silent for years. Despite all the destruction and loneliness, my client asserts her rights to the fullest, saying 'I am here'; by reclaiming her stolen childhood, dignity, and life, she presents a strong example of resistance and hope to both us and society.
"IT HAS PRECEDENT VALUE"
The amount requested in the moral compensation lawsuit is not only a reflection of the pain experienced in the past but also aims to cover long-term health expenses, loss of labor, difficulties in accessing treatment, and the compensation for severe moral devastation.
For this reason, we define the compensation lawsuit in question not as 'an ordinary compensation dispute' but as a matter of restoring human dignity and addressing lifelong damages before the law. Compensation is not a donation given with mercy; it is the natural consequence of legal responsibility.
If a person's life has been permanently harmed, the legal system cannot ignore this. Unfortunately, trauma cannot be erased by a calendar, and the law acknowledges this. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize that the lawsuit filed by my client is a struggle that could serve as a precedent for many others in similar situations.
"THE ISSUE IS NOT A NUMERICAL DISCUSSION"
Our case is currently at the expert stage; we anticipate that in the upcoming hearing, the file will be referred to an expert for the calculation of the compensation amount. The final decision the court will make after the expert report is extremely important for us.
We believe that the court will make a fair decision that will enable my client to get back on her feet and rebuild her life by evaluating all health reports, lifelong damages, and the conditions my client is in together.
The decision to be made in this case today will not only affect the parties involved but also the trust that thousands of people in similar situations have in the legal system. For this reason, we believe that the issue is not a numerical discussion but a matter of human dignity and the conscience of the law."