The tragic murder of two 19-year-old women in Istanbul has sparked widespread anger in Turkey, sparking a series of protests against the government’s perceived inaction on feminicides. The incident, which occurred on October 9, shocked the nation, as the perpetrator, a young man of the same age, subsequently killed himself.
The mother of the attacker had previously requested follow-up for him while the victims had tried to file a complaint for harassment. The snowball effect of this crime has raised questions about the safety of women in Turkey, especially as other horrific crimes against children have been reported in the country recently.
Little Narin, aged 8, was the victim of sexual abuse before her body was discovered. His uncle was arrested in this case. Another case involves a 2-year-old girl in western Turkey who was abused and died on October 7, involving several family members and a neighbor who were detained.
Official figures for femicide remain unclear, but women’s rights organizations estimate that 295 women have been killed this year, often by relatives. These NGOs also denounce around 160 deaths of women deemed “suspicious”.
Gaps in the women’s protection system are pointed out, including poor treatment of victims by the police and perceived judicial leniency. Voices are being raised to demand firmer action from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, especially after Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.
Faced with this growing pressure, Erdogan expressed last November that Turkey must seriously combat those responsible for violence against women and children. However, the government’s first reaction was to restrict access to Discord, a forum where some Internet users had expressed their approval of the killings.
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