Turkey observes 53 femicides and suspicious women's deaths in February

Some 36 women were killed by men in Turkey in February, whereas 17 women were found dead under suspicious conditions, the We Will Stop Femicides Platform reported.

Tuesday March 05 2024 11:30 pm

This file photo shows banners reading "We don't want to die" and "Implement the Istanbul Convention" during a women's march.

Duvar English

A total of 36 women were killed by men in February in Turkey, the We Will Stop Femicides Platform said on March 4, while 17 women were found dead under suspicious circumstances over the same period.

10 women were killed by their legal spouses, seven by men they were in relationships with, seven by men they were formerly involved with, and seven by relatives, including three sons and four fathers.

A total of 17 femicides in February took place in the woman's home, although 11 men committed these crimes in the streets.

The motive behind 12 of these femicides remains unknown, while 17 of the women were killed for wanting to separate from the assailant.

25 women were slain with firearms, nine with blades, and two by drowning in February.

Turkey has made moves in recent years to lessen protections for women. In July 2021, the country formally withdrew from the Istanbul Convention (the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), a move that advocacy groups say was a major setback for women in the country. Turkey was the first country to sign the Convention back in 2011.

Some 315 women were murdered by men in 2023 in Turkey, while 248 women were found dead under suspicious circumstances over the same period, according to the We Will Stop Femicides Platform.