2024 August Report*
33 Femicides and 24 Suspicious Deaths of Women in August
The fight to stop femicides in Turkey has been going on for 14 years. As the Platform, since we identified the need in 2010, we have been disclosing femicide data to the public. Instead of explaining how many women have been killed, why, how and by whom, the Ministry of Interior distorts the facts by saying that the data on femicides are incorrectly prepared. It is the duty of the state not only to disclose the reality of femicides and suspicious deaths of women but also to implement concrete solutions to stop femicides. We will continue to fight for the mobilization of all relevant ministries and mechanisms to fulfil this duty.
The reason behind 18 femicides could not be determined
This month, 33 femicides were committed, and 24 women were found suspiciously dead. 9 women were killed on the pretext of wanting to make decisions about their own life, such as wanting a divorce, refusing to reconcile, refusing to marry, or rejecting a relationship, 2 women were killed on economic pretexts and 4 women were killed on the pretext that their mother wanted a divorce. The reason behind 18 of the 33 femicides could not be determined. The inability to determine the excuse behind the murder of 18 women is the result of violence against women and femicides being rendered invisible. Unless it is determined by whom and why women were killed, unless a fair trial is conducted and the suspects, defendants, and murderers are given deterrent punishments and unless preventive measures are implemented, violence continues to increase in size.
We would like to share the names of the women, each of whom was a life:
Femicide data in the month of August, by city:
By whom were the women killed?
Of the 33 women killed in August, 10 were killed by the man they were married to, 7 by the man they were with, 6 by their father, 3 by an acquaintance, 2 by a relative, 2 by their son, 1 by the man she used to be married to, 1 by the man she used to be with and 1 by her brother. This month, 30% of the women who were killed were killed by the man they were married to.
Women were mostly killed in their homes
12 of the women were killed at their homes, 8 in the middle of the street, 5 in a deserted place, 3 on a waterfront, 2 in a car, and 1 at her workplace. It could not be determined where 2 women were killed. 36% of the women killed this month were killed in their homes.
Women were mostly killed with firearms
12 of the women killed this month were killed with firearms, 11 with sharp objects, 4 by strangulation, 4 by being beaten to death, and 1 by being burned to death. The weapon which was used to kill 1 woman could not be determined. 36% of the women killed this month were killed with firearms.
Don't Watch the Violence, Implement Protection Law No. 6284!
In Istanbul, Serpil Kartal was killed in the middle of the street by Harun Gül, the man she was in the process of divorce. In Manisa, 19-year-old Sudenaz was beaten in the middle of the street in front of her 3-year-old child. Sudenaz had been subjected to violence since she was 14 years old. Although she reported this to the police, nothing changed. Given that she had a child at the age of 16, it is obvious that she was abused as a child. Those responsible for Sudenaz's years of violence are clear. In Bursa, Elif B. demanded electronic handcuffs for the man she used to be engaged to and who repeatedly violated her restraining order. Six hours after her request was rejected, she was kidnapped, stabbed, and shot in the leg by him. According to our femicide data for this year, at least 22 of the women murdered in the first 8 months of the year were killed despite having filed a complaint with the police or prosecutor's office. Policy-makers responsible for preventing femicides and gendered violence only condemn these incidents. If Protection Law No. 6284 had been implemented, many women would still be alive. If law enforcement officers had fulfilled their duties, many women would still be alive. While women are being murdered, those who are supposed to protect them are just watching.
The perpetrator Mehmet Demirhan, who killed Hilal Kar with a firearm in the middle of the street in Diyarbakır, has not been caught for 2 months. The family's lawyer stated that no effective investigation was carried out, no testimony from family members was taken, and MOBESE and HTS records were not examined. Deniz Özarslan, the murderer of Ezgi Zerkin, was also caught after 545 days. Law enforcement and judicial authorities, who are so slow and indifferent in the investigation process of femicides, immediately arrested Dilruba Kayserilioğlu, who spoke in a street interview.
The political power does not care about femicides, the killing of children, gendered violence, and abuse. Instead of implementing laws protecting women and children, they are trying to develop new family-oriented policies. The report of the “8th Family Council” meeting held in 2023 reveals this. The report supports the idea that women should marry at an early age, have many children, and stay in marriages where they are subjected to violence. Women are being killed within these sacred families that the government wants to protect. In August, 6 women were killed by their fathers, 2 women by their sons, and 10 women by the men they were married to. In the first 8 months of 2024, 27 women and 12 boys were killed by their fathers. We women will not submit to your patriarchal oppression. We will not let our rights be opened to discussion. Our struggle will not stop.
During the local election period, we talked about how policies should be developed to create cities where women are equal and free. We talked about what municipalities should do for women. One of these was to increase the number of women's shelters to the number required by the Municipal Law. Despite this, we learned that the only women's shelter in İzmir Bayraklı Municipality was closed. In a country where at least one woman is murdered every day, closing a shelter is to ignore gendered violence, femicides, and Protection Law No. 6284. Women's shelters are vital for women being subjected to violence.
Women's Assemblies in the Squares
We continue our organized struggle on this path that we set out by saying that we will stop femicides. This month we were on the streets in Istanbul for Serpil Kartal, in İzmir for the four children shot by their father, and in Manisa for Sudenaz who was subjected to violence. We were in the square as the Young Feminists Federation for Eylem Sevilen who was murdered by her father. We came together as Women's Assemblies in Istanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir, İzmir, and Gaziantep. With the passage of the 'Animal Slaughter Law', some crazed institutions such as Niğde and Altındağ Municipality started to mass slaughter animals. On September 1, we were in Yenikapı to say “No to the Slaughter Law”.
Sexual Violence Increases, Impunity Protects Perpetrators
Children and women continue to live under the threat of sexual violence. In Istanbul, two children, Z. U. and E. G., were sexually abused by 26-year-old Yusuf E. E., who worked in a shop where they went shopping. The suspect was detained after an outcry by the children's families and the neighborhood.
In Hatay, in 2021, 14-year-old S. Y. was sexually abused by his relative Musa Ş. for 3 years. S. Y., who had audio and video evidence of the abuse, filed a complaint against Musa Ş., but the attacker was released with electronic handcuffs.
In Kocaeli, a 4-year-old child was sexually abused by a private security guard in a nearby restroom where he was playing. The attacker was detained after the incident was revealed.
What happened regarding women in August?
Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality announced that it will provide a pack of sanitary pads once a month to women in need through the Women's Counseling and Solidarity Center.
In Bursa, the principal of an imam hatip middle school (religious school) made a pro-sharia statement saying “We will interfere with students who wear shorts, we will also interfere with students who do not wear headscarves” and openly stated that they would not allow female students who do not wear headscarves in the school. Eğitim-İş Union announced that they will file a criminal complaint against the principal.
In the 2024 Special Talent Examination Guide for Sports Sciences, ÖSYM (the Measuring, Selection and Placement Center) reduced the quota allocated for women to 40%, thereby introducing a quota against women.
Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality signed a protocol with Diyarbakır Bar Association to provide legal support to women subjected to violence.
Syrian refugee trans woman M. E., whose private health information was shared without permission and who was deported because she was HIV+, died in Syria.
Afghan break dancer Manizha Talash was disqualified from the preliminary round of the 2024 Paris Olympics for wearing a cape that read 'Freedom for Afghan women'.
Suspicious deaths of women should be revealed immediately
As we have been stating in our reports for a while, there is a very serious increase in the number of suspicious deaths of women presented as suicides or natural deaths and in the number of women who were found suspiciously dead during the pandemic. Unfortunately, shedding light on the suspicious deaths of women can be even more difficult than femicides. It is necessary to reveal whether women were killed, whether they were killed by accident, whether women were killed on the basis of gender (whether it was femicide), whether they committed suicide or whether they were driven to suicide.
In Bursa, Özge Yetimoğulları fell from the balcony of her house on the 4th floor and died under suspicious circumstances. 3 days after the incident, A. Y., the man Özge was married to, was arrested and a confidentiality order was imposed on the prosecutor's investigation into the case.
In Eskişehir, 23-year-old Sinem Ç was found dead in her house. A. Ö., the man Sinem was with and who was in the house when the law enforcement officers arrived, was arrested due to his conflicting statements.
In Samsun, 32-year-old Zeynep Arslanoğlu went swimming in the sea with her acquaintance K. G. Zeynep was later found dead stuck on the rocks. K. G. was detained.
The stories of the life struggles of the 33 women killed in August
In Siirt, Saliha K., mother of five, was stabbed to death by İ. K., the man she used to be married to. The perpetrator attempted suicide by slitting his wrists.
In Antalya, 43-year-old Aynur Çilli was killed by Mehmet A., the man she was with, by getting hit in the head with a stone in a forest. The perpetrator then strangled Aynur Çilli's 8-year-old son to death.
In Kayseri, 55-year-old Nuray Dabaz was shot to death with a rifle by her relative Selfat Aydoğdu. The perpetrator also shot and killed Nuray Dabaz's son.
In Konya, 49-year-old Arife Öz was shot to death with a firearm by Hasan Öz, the man she was married to. It was learned that Arife Öz had been separated from the perpetrator for a while and the perpetrator had 5 criminal records.
In Afyon, 19-year-old Sultan Tosun was stabbed in the throat and killed in a park by Yusuf Ç., the man she used to be with. It was learned that the perpetrator threw Sultan’s body into a water channel in the park and escaped.
In Samsun, 37-year-old Fatma Demir was stabbed 17 times by her relative Mustafa D. on the pretext of a quarrel over land property.
In Tekirdağ, 55-year-old İ. D. was stabbed 8 times and killed by his son T. A.
In Konya, 55-year-old Vesile Akgün was shot to death by her relative Ferhat Dağıtan who had escaped from prison 10 days ago.
In Mersin, Pınar Bayrak, mother of three, was killed by Ziya Ecer, the man she was with. It was learned that Pınar was systematically subjected to violence by the perpetrator.
In İzmir, 26-year-old Hilmiye Tuğba Esgin was strangled to death in a boat by Şenol A. on the pretext of jealousy. It was learned that after killing Hilmiye, the perpetrator put her body in the freezer on the boat and poured paint on the body to prevent smell.
In Tekirdağ, 24-year-old Sedef Çınar was shot to death with a firearm by Fahrettin T., the man she was with. The perpetrator committed suicide with the same gun after the incident.
In Istanbul, 35-year-old Serpil Kartal, mother of two, was shot to death in the middle of the street by Harun Gül, the man she was in the process of divorce. It was learned that the perpetrator waited over Serpil’s body and prevented the ambulance from entering the street.
In Istanbul, 23-year-old Öznur Akkaya was stabbed to death in the middle of the street by Gökhan Akkaya, the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator was caught.
In Istanbul, Kinem Çetinkaya was stabbed to death by İsa Çetinkaya, the man she was married to. The perpetrator was detained.
In Ankara, Z. B. was shot to death with a firearm by B.B., the man she was in the process of divorce. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident.
In Balıkesir, 54-year-old Fatma Aydovan was shot to death with a firearm by İbrahim Ağzıkırık, the man she was living with. The perpetrator also wounded Fatma Aydovan's son. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident.
In Kocaeli, 36-year-old Nuhbe Yılmaz was strangled to death by Cansu Yunus E., the man she was with. She was brought to the hospital with the claim that she had a heart attack, but when the doctors found her death suspicious, it was realized that it was a femicide. The perpetrator was detained.
In Manisa, 10-year-old Ayten Gül Özfidan was strangled to death by her father Ömür Özfidan. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident.
In Konya, 37-year-old Elif Durmaz was stabbed to death by Bekir Durmaz, the man she was married to. The perpetrator was arrested.
In Şanlıurfa, 59-year-old Gülizar Çolak was shot to death by Gaffar Çolak, the owner of the pistachio plant where she worked and the man she was married to, on the pretext of jealousy.
In Mardin, Veysi Bora set the house on fire while his 60-year-old mother Atiye Bora, and his wife Necla Bora were inside, locked the door, and fled. Despite the medical treatment, Atiye Bora died on July 11.
In Tekirdağ, 38-year-old factory worker Elif Dim was beaten to death by Hasan Dim, the man she was married to. According to the statement of the perpetrator, they had an argument after Elif saw him texting with another woman and he killed her on this pretext.
In Konya, Şehadet Özer had an argument with Mehmet Özer, the man she was married to. While Şehadet wanted to leave the house, the perpetrator shot her with a rifle. 5-year-old Dilan Hiranur Özer, who was trying to protect her mother, was shot and died.
In Mersin, 47-year-old mathematics teacher Derya Demir, mother of two, was stabbed in the throat and killed by Murat O., the man she was with, on the pretext that she wanted to break up with him.
In Balıkesir, 18-year-old Eylem Sevilen, who worked in a pizzeria, was strangled to death by her father on the pretext of wanting to go to her friend's birthday party. Eylem's body was found under the sofa at her house.
In Muğla, 40-year-old Senem Kıvrık, mother of two, was stabbed to death in the street by Muhittin Kıvrık, the man she was in the process of divorce and against whom she had gotten a restraining order.
In İzmir, Vesim Şimşek killed his daughters 4-year-old Cemre, 2-year-old Ceylin, and 14-year-old Nira Şimşek, and seriously injured 11-year-old Hiranur on the pretext that Naciye, whom he was in the process of divorce, refused to reconcile. It was learned that Naciye had been subjected to violence throughout her marriage and on July 27, she issued a 2-month restraining order against the perpetrator.
In Zonguldak, 42-year-old Emine Sezer was stabbed to death by her brother Oğuz Ş. on the pretext that Emine did not give him money. The perpetrator also injured Emine's husband and two children.
In Adana, 52-year-old Ayşe Dürüst, mother of two, was beaten to death with a paving stone by Murat Dürüst, the man she was married to, on the pretext that she wanted to leave the house.
In İzmir, Esin Karabıyık and Esin’s friend 36-year-old Ebru Duvar were stabbed by Özkan Karabıyık, the man Esin was in the process of divorce.
Ebru lost her life and Esin was seriously injured. It was learned that Esin had gotten a restraining order against the perpetrator. The perpetrator committed suicide after the incident.
In Hatay, a woman named R. Ş. was found dead in a wooded area. The perpetrator, who was an acquaintance of R. Ş, was detained.
*Our Report: Every month, the news on violence against women in the press includes cases, new incidents and details about the women's movement. We compile the news reflected in the press and the applications that come directly to us, reach a number and prepare our report within this framework. We analyze, compile and evaluate our Femicide Report according to the concept of femicide. In other words, the conceptualization of femicide is; “the killing or forcing into suicide of individuals of the female gender, from embryo to fetus, infant to child, adult to elderly, by a man, simply because of their gender or on the pretext of their actions contrary to the gender stereotypes. and the perception of gender identity. Femicides should not be perceived sorely as murders in which people of the female gender are killed. In these murders committed with hatred, what is attacked is the female identity itself”