Turkish national athlete arrested over sex abuse claims
Hurriyet.com.tr
DHA photo
Turkish athlete and physical education teacher S.S., 29, was arrested today after students filed sexual abuse complaints against him.Five schoolgirls between the ages of 13 and 15 claimed that they were harassed by S.S. at their school in the eastern province of Erzurum.
One of the students, identified by her initials, Ç.Y., said S.S. called female students one by one to a supply room he used as office under pretense of "teaching gymnastics." "Once I was in his office, he made me place my hands on a desk, then he stood behind me and touched me," Ç.Y. said.
Ç.Y. told the prosecutor that S.S. showed her his genitals in another encounter in his office and asked if she wanted to look at it. "When I said 'no,' he said, 'You must have a little brother – haven't you ever looked at his?'" Ç.Y. said during her testimony.
Another student, G.B., said S.S. wanted to kiss her on the cheek but she did not allow it. "I asked him why he was talking to me about things like that," G.B. said, to which S.S. replied, "I talk only to you about things like that."
The prosecutor's office in Erzurum sent S.S. to court after other similar complaints were filed against him. The court placed S.S. under arrest.
The suspect's wife, F.S.i said she could not believe that her husband would abuse his students. The couple has two children, reports said.
S.S. represented Turkey in a mountain running championship in Italy in 2009.
