The number of women murders in Turkey increased by factor 14 within a period of seven years. While 66 women were murdered in 2002, this figure rocketed to 953 women murders in 2009.

This development made the headlines in the Turkish Press on Thursday (15 September). The figures are based on data issued by lawyer Aydeniz Alisbah Tuskan, Co-ordinator of the Istanbul Bar Association Centre for Women's Rights. The data revealed an additional startling dimension of the problem: 85 percent of about 2000 annually registered divorce applications in Istanbul are based on violence.

About 300 women applied to the Istanbul Bar Association for protection during the past year. Other applications were concerned with alimony, child custody or family residence for example.

According to lawyer Tuskan, the reason for this explosion in the number of applications based on violence is the fact that women do not endure violence as they used to do in the past.

Protection of women is crucial

Tuskan called for an immediate response to women who seek protection. She demanded to accommodate women who applied for protection in women shelters without separating them from their children. She also stated that the financial situation of the women had to be sorted out.

The lawyer indicated that women became aware of these topics. Lawyers are being assigned to women who apply for protection to the Istanbul Bar Association, Tuskan explained.

The lawyer conceded though that protection does not fully solve the problem of violence. The person who experienced violence should furthermore be medically treated and supervised psychologically, Tuskan claimed.

Official data

According to the data of the Ministry of Justice, the number of women murders increased by factor 14 between 2002 and 2009. While 66 women were killed in 2002, this figure raised to 953 women murders in 2009. The development of the increase was documented as follows: 83 women murders in 2003; 128 in 2004; this figure more than doubled in 2005 with 317 women killings; again a sharp increase with 663 in 2006; a peak of 1011 women murders in 2007 and a small decrease in numbers in 2008 with 806 women murders. (YY/VK)