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DP: Date Published: 14.02.2022 10:00 14 February 2022 10:00

~ MO: Modified On: 14.02.2022 14:14 14 February 2022 14:14

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MALE VIOLENCE 2021

Men kill at least 339 women in 2021

In 2021, men killed at least 339 women and 34 children in Turkey. Men raped 96 women, forced 772 women to sex work, harassed 424 women and abused 208 children. Men injured and inflicted violence on at least 793 women in 2021.

Evrim Kepenek

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

According to the current data compiled by bianet from the news reported in the local, national and online press in the period of January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021, men killed at least 339 women in 2021.

Video: Kıvılcım Akay Infographic: Yağmur Karagöz

NOTE: The number of women killed by men in 2021 was 324. 15 feminicides committed in the past years, but reported in the press in 2021 have been added to this number. Some of these 15 feminicides had been reported in the news as "unidentified murders" or "suspicious deaths".

In the same period (January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021), men killed 34 children, raped 96 women, forced 772 women to sex work, harassed 424 women and abused 208 children in Turkey.

Men inflicted violence on at least 793 women in 2021. The deaths of at least 213 women, including trans women, were reported in the news as "suspicious" in 2021.

In 2021, men attempted to kill at least seven women and threatened 38 women with killing or inflicting violence on them.

In 2021, the deaths of at least eight women, including trans women, were reported as "suicides", "driving to suicide" and "suspicious suicides."

According to the news reported in the press, men killed at least 20 women despite "protection" and "restraining" orders and "requests".

In 2021, at least 10 women exercised their right of self-defense to be protected from the men who had inflicted violence on them and sexually assaulted them.

CLICK - All bianet male violence monitoring reports

CLICK - Methodology of bianet male violence monitoring reports

Feminicide

Men killed at least 339 women in 2021. Moreover, men killed at least 20 men who were with the women during the feminicides.

At least 15 women who were killed by men were migrants.

Where did men kill women?

Men killed almost half of the women inside the house.

Men killed 198 women inside the house while they killed 105 women in places outside the house such as the office, hospital, forestland, traffic and car park. The scenes of 36 feminicides were not reported in the news.

The provinces where men killed women

Adana (14), Afyon (8), Ağrı (1), Aksaray (2), Ankara (13), Antalya (21), Antep (8), Ardahan (1), Aydın (6), Balıkesir (7), Bartın (1), Batman (1), Burdur (1), Bursa (10), Çanakkale (2), Çorum (1), Denizli (8), Diyarbakır (7), Düzce (3), Edirne (1), Elazığ (2), Erzincan (1), Erzurum (1), Eskişehir (1), Giresun (3), Hatay (5), Iğdır (2), İstanbul (55), İzmir (15), Karabük (1), Karaman (3), Kastamonu (1), Kayseri (12), Kırıkkale (2), Kırklareli (1), Kırşehir (4), Kilis (1), Kocaeli (14), Konya (13), Malatya (3), Manisa (6), Maraş (4), Mardin (7), Mersin (7), Muğla (8), Nevşehir (2), Niğde (4), Ordu (3), Osmaniye (2), Rize (1), Sakarya (1), Samsun (8), Sinop (1), Sivas (4), Şırnak (1) Tekirdağ (6), Tokat (2), Trabzon (4), Urfa (6), Van (3), Yozgat (2), Zonguldak (1).

Who killed women?

More than half of the women were killed by men who were closest to them such as their husbands and fiances.

In 2021, 209 women were killed by their husbands, fiances, ex-husbands and boyfriends.

31 women were killed by their family members such as fathers, sons and grandsons. Five women were killed by son-in-laws. Three women were killed by nine male burglars who had broken into their houses, nine women were killed by nine male friends, 23 women were killed by their relatives, two women were killed by their business partners, one woman was killed by the owner of the shop where she went for shopping, 11 women were killed by their 11 male neighbors.

The degrees of relationship between at least 38 women and the men who killed them were not reported in the press.

NOTE: Some feminicides were committed by more than one man.

Among the men who killed women were also four police officers and two village guards.

How did men kill women?

Men killed half of the women with firearms.

Men killed 187 women with firearms and 89 women with sharp objects. Killing 22 women by strangling them, men killed at least 23 women by crashing their heads with a dumbell, torturing them and throwing them from the balcony. The methods of killing in 19 feminicides were not reported in the news.

Under what 'pretexts' did men kill women?

Men killed 58 women because "they wanted to break up" and "did not accept their marriage proposal" while they killed 20 women "out of jealousy" and killed 26 women because "they did not let them marry who they wanted, did not let their daughters marry them, did not turn off the music, wanted to prevent them from making noise."

Men killed six women to mug them while they killed four women in alleged "honor" killings. In 2021, men killed five women with "racist" and "hate-driven" motivations in Turkey. The pretexts of men for killing 220 women were not reported in the press.

Judicial Process

There were at least 352 male perpetrators who killed women. 208 perpetrators were arrested. 49 perpetrators were taken into custody. Seven perpetrators were released due to "lack of evidence". The judicial processes of at least eight perpetrators were reported in the press as "legal action taken".

While the judicial processes of 57 perpetrators were reported in the press as "committed suicide", those of 14 perpetrators were reported as "fled, wanted". The judicial processes of at least eight perpetrators were not reported in the press while one perpetrator was killed by other men.

Child murder

According to the updated data compiled by bianet from the news reported in the local, national and online press in the period of January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021, men killed at least 34 children in Turkey under the "pretext" of harming or taking revenge on the women whom them inflicted violence on.

Among the children killed by men were also babies.

Who killed children?

17 children were killed by their fathers while four children were killed by the men whom they were forced to marry at a young age. Two children were killed by the boyfriends of their mothers, two children were killed by their two male peers, four children were killed by their relatives such as grandfathers and paternal uncles and one child was killed by the stepfather. While one child was killed by the former business partner of her/his father, the degrees of relationship between three children and the men who killed them were not reported in the news.

The names of children whose killings reported in the press

Büşra K., Ali Doruk Tokkal, H.K., Tunç T., Kaan H., Sezen Ünlü, Zeynep Yılmaz, Ceren E., Şinasi T., Merivan Avcı, Yağmur Taylan, Kumsal Demirezen, Kerem G., Emine K., Funda B., İlknur Türksoy, Egemen M., Yaren G., Hiranur G., Elif G., Ebru A., Amara D., Aleyna M., Mehmet Ali M., Gülseren Mamuş, Elif Hazal Y., Erdem S., Müslime Y., Ayşegül Aydın, Elif Ada T., Defne Ü., Devran P., Hazal K., Yasemin Nur Ş.

The provinces where men killed children

Afyon (1), Antalya (1), Bayburt (1), Eskişehir (1), Mersin (1), Antep (1), Konya (1), Çanakkale (1), Çorum (2), Diyarbakır (1), İstanbul (5), İzmir (1), Tekirdağ (1), Aydın (1), Balıkesir (2), Samsun (2), Kayseri (2), Trabzon (3), Urfa (1), Hatay (2), Yalova (1), Kocaeli (1), Kırıkkale (1).

Judicial Process

There were at least 34 perpetrators who killed children.

Only 20 perpetrators were arrested. Five perpetrators were taken into custody. Four perpetrators committed suicide. The judicial processes of two perpetrators were reported in the news as "wanted". The judicial processes of three perpetrators were not reported in the press.

Rape

Men raped 96 women in Turkey in 2021, according to the updated data compiled by bianet from the news reported in the local, national and online press in the period of January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.

Six women who were raped by men had mental disabilies.

At least three incidents of sexual assault were revealed after it was understood that the women were pregnant.

Three women raped by men were citizens of Uzbekistan while one woman was a citizen of Afghanistan, one woman was a citizen Russia and one woman was a citizen of Azerbaijan.

Who raped women?

Five women were raped by family members such as fathers and grandfathers, one woman was raped by the lawyer with whom she was doing her law apprenticeship, five women were raped by their managers, six women were raped by male friends, one woman was raped by her employee, three women were raped by drivers, nine women were raped by their husbands, two women were raped by their male relatives, one woman was raped by a therapist, one woman was raped by a religious official, one woman was raped by male wardens, one woman was raped by her son-in-law and one woman was raped by male municipal police officers.

In at least seven incidents, there were more than one perpetrator.

Where did men rape women?

Men raped 18 women inside the house while they raped 57 women in places outside the house such as a law bureau, park, forestland and street. The scenes of incidents where 21 women were raped by men were not reported in the press.

Judicial Process

There were at least 95 male perpetrators who raped women. 32 male perpetrators were arrested. 11 perpetrators were detained. Restraining orders were issued against two perpetrators. Legal action was taken against 20 perpetrators. 20 male perpetrators were released.

The judicial processes of seven perpetrators were not reported in the press. No action was taken against two perpetrators while one perpetrator was placed under house arrest.

Harassment

Men harassed at least 424 women in 2021. At least eight cases of harassment happened systematically. There were migrant women among the women whom men harassed.

Who harassed women?

The degree of acquaintance between 91 perpetrators and the women whom they harassed was not reported in the press. Three women were harassed by politician men, four women by their neighbors, six women by local administrators, 16 women by their bosses-managers, nine women by their friends, five women by bar and park managers, four women by drivers, two women by passengers, one woman by her husband, and six women by an embassy employee.

How did men harass women?

Men harassed 404 women verbally and physically, 17 women by filming them, one woman by masturbating and two women by showing them photographs with sexual content.

Where did men harass women?

Men harassed 14 women outside of home, nine women at home, and 270 women on social media. Where men harassed four women were not reported in the press.

Judicial process

There were at least 122 perpetrators who harassed women. 30 perpetrators were arrested. 40 perpetrators were detained. Judicial processes about 24 perpetrators were not reported in the press.

Legal action was taken against 20 perpetrators. Judicial processes about three perpetrators were reported as "escaped, sought" in the press. Four perpetrators were released. No action was taken against one perpetrator.

Child abuse

According to the current data compiled by bianet from the news reported in the local, national and online press in the period of January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021, men abused 208 children, including boys, in 2021.

Who abused children?

At least 27 children were abused by family members such as brother and father, 66 children by their teachers and school employees, two children by shopkeepers, six children by their neighbors. The degree of acquaintance between 86 children and at least 86 men who harassed them was not reported in the news.

CLICK - All Male Violence Monitoring Reports from 2008 to 2019

Where did men abuse children?

Men abused at least 12 children at home and 149 children in places outside of home, such as schools, school buses, and stadiums. The places where men abused 47 children were not reported in the news.

Judicial process

There were at least 195 perpetrators who abused children. Only 66 perpetrators were arrested. 59 perpetrators were detained. 29 perpetrators were released.

Legal action was taken against 14 perpetrators. No action was taken against three perpetrators. One perpetrator was ordered to wear an ankle monitor.

Judicial processes about five perpetrators were reported as "escaped, sought". Judicial processes about at least 18 perpetrators were not reported in the press.

Violence/injury

Men inflicted violence on at least 793 women in 2021. Men "seriously injured" at least 65 women.

14 of the women whom men inflicted violence on were not citizens of Turkey (Afghanistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Iran, Somalia).

At least five of the men whom men inflicted violence on were trans.

Men inflicted violence on 31 women by violating "restraining" and "protection" orders. Men had been systematically violent with at least 12 women.

At least 550 women were subjected to violence from their husbands and boyfriends, 53 women from their family members such as fathers, brothers and sons, three women from their bosses, four women from their sons-in-law, two women from village guards, one woman from her landlord, one woman from her mother's boyfriend, 21 women from their neighbors and friends, four women from police, 13 women from their relatives, two women from delivery workers and one woman from a chauffeur. The degree of acquaintance between 138 men and the women whom they inflicted violence on was not reported in the news.

How did men inflict violence on women?

Men attacked 83 women with firearms and 67 women with sharp objects. Men injured 618 women by battering them. Men inflicted digital violence on at least four women and 21 women were thrown off balconies, run over by cars or burned.

Where did men inflict violence on women?

Men inflicted violence on 355 women at home and 257 women outside. While the places where men inflicted violence on women were not reported in the news, four cases were in a digital environment.

Judicial process

There were 826 perpetrators who inflicted violence on women. At least 76 perpetrators were arrested. 152 perpetrators were detained. Legal action was taken against 245 perpetrators. Seven perpetrators committed suicide. Restraining orders were issued against at least 17 perpetrators.

At least 37 perpetrators were released. Judicial processes about 55 perpetrators were reported as "escaped, sought" in the news. Judicial processes about 237 perpetrators were not reported in the news.

Forced sex work

Men forced at least 772 women to do sex work in 2021. There were children younger than 18 among those who were forced to do sex work.

359 women who were forced to do sex work were from Turkey, 413 women were not from Turkey.

Judicial process

There were 706 perpetrators who forced women to do sex work.

Only 144 of the perpetrators were arrested. 450 perpetrators were detained. 112 perpetrators were released or "no action was taken against them".

The names of women killed by men in 2021

January: Aleyna Yurtkölesi, Arzu Aygün, Aslıhan Dal, Aygül Ç., Ayşe Yaylan, Dilan K., Döndü B., Esma A., Ferdane Kurt, Feride Y., Gonca Pekşen, Hatice B., Hatice S., Melek Ayaz G., Nergis Beyaz, Neriman K., Sevda K., Sevgi Tekin, Süryan B., Şadiye Öztürk, Şükran B., Vildan İ.

February: Ayşe Nazlı Kınacı, Birgül Y., Canan A., El Mohammed, Emel Tokkal, Feride T., Gamze Kaçar B., Gonca A., Güler Kaya, Gülistan Ş., Gülsüm B., Hacer Ç., Hanife Y., Hatice H., Hatice T., İkram K., Kader Balcı, Karanfil Ö., Melek G., Meral Şen, Meryem Güneş, Mihrican E., Nergiz S., Nur Cemil H., Pınar Can, Raziye Ö., Saime Ü., Samira Lkhadır, Saniye Kaçar, Semiha Peker, Sibel A., Şule Yıldırım, Zeynep I.

March: Aysel Y., Bedia A., Bensu Narlı, Beyzanur F., Cennet A., Ceyda Ö., Elif Atay, Fatma Kovan, Gamze G., Gülbahar Asabay, Gülsen Işık G., Halime Türkaslan, Hanım Pınarlı, Hatice Ş., Hatice Y., Havva Yılmaz, Hüsna T., İslim A., Mediha A., Meral S., Mervenur Polat, Miraş Güneş, Nagihan Üste, Nebahat K., Necla Demirbaş, Nuran K., Rabia D., Reyhan K., Seher E., Serap T., Serpil F., Serpil Pala, Sevcan D., Sultan A., Yeter Yılmaz Teyo.

April: Arzu İlhan K., Aygül Y., Ayşe C., Berrin Dalyanoğlu K., Emine Fulya Akçelebi, Esra Çelik, Fatma Abravcı, Filiz G., Hatice Işık, Koçer D., Melek Yıldız, Mevlüde P., Mültezim I., Seda K., Selma Ö., Tuba M., Yıldız Gül.

May: Arife Nur Sarıoğlu, Aslı Ö., Birgül Ç., Emel D., Fatma Öz, G.G, Gülendam Göz, Gülseren Akarsu, Melek Elşemo, Sarı Laçin, Semra Ç., Sibel Kaman, Şirvan Dinmez, Şükriye A., Tuğçe Duman, Yudum M., Zeynep E., Kamile Y.

June: Adalet B., Anzelika Sraufant, Arzu Rahman Gök, Aysel K., Bircan D., Deniz Poyraz, Döndü Özyiğit, Emel D., Firdevs Öztürk, Hacer B., Halime Uyar, Handan Ç., İlknur Ç., Kader Oktay, Medine Seyis, Nazife T., Nuran Ş., Sadriye Ş., Sevgi D., Sibel Koçan, Şahigül Buluş, Şengül G., Yasemin A., Yemen A.

July: Aysel Y., Deniz F., Derya Aldıç, Durdu Kadem Kızıloluk, Ebru K., Elvan Gezer, Fatma A., Fatma Keke, Gülcan E., Hamiyet Y., Hatice Çetin D., Hatun Güneş Özsoy, İpek Dedeoğlu, Kader K., Mehtap K., Meryem M., Öykü Y., Selma Ö., Serap Dedeoğlu, Serpil Dedeoğlu, Sevda Çelemoğlu, Sibel Dedeoğlu, Şadiye R., Zeynep Ü.

August: Atiye P., Aysel Akkale, Azime Ö., Azra Gülendam Haytaoğlu, Bahar T., Baran Hasan Rasho, Cennet G., E.G., Ebru Y., Elif Saltık, Emel Göçer, Esra Hankulu, Fatma İnan, Gönül Y., Gülcan Kılıç, Gülizar Kılıç, Gülten D., Hacer A., Hanife M., Hatice A., Hediye T., Kadriye Akdeniz, Kübra Ö., Nazlı M., Necla Koçyiğit, Pakize M., Rahime Y. , Sema Nur S., Senem B., Sude Akarsu, Sultan Duran, Ulviye Aba, Yasemin Ö., Zekiye Hossini

September: Aynur M., Ayşe B., Eda A., Ela S., Emine P., Fatma Haideri, Fatma K., Fehime Tüfenk, Filiz Akgöz, Gurbet F., Gülten Y., Hatice S., Kadrie A., Melike C., Mercan B., Murat Sözübir*, Nermin G., Nurgül Altıntaş, Özlem K., S.Ö., Şennur Ç., Şura Asena Altıntaş, Tarhana Yaman, Tatyana Feodorava, Tuğba D., Yüksel S.

October: Ayat A., Ayşe Taşma, Demet K., Fatime Gül, Fatma S., Gönül Y., Gülsüm Er, Hadika Ç., Hasret Tutal, Hülya Şimşek, Meltem G., Nazlı Koldagul, Nefes Balkan* Nuriye Ü., Semra Y., Sena Altan, Servet T., Sevil Ş., Seyhan Gözer, Şebnem Şirin Ülker İ., Yadigar Adıgüzel.

November: Aysel D., Ayşegül Sert, Azize Gülmez, Başak Cengiz, Behice Ç., Berrak*, Ekin Gökçe Yıldız, Esra M.Ç, Fatma T., Gülsüm Yarış, Hanife D., Hanife Mutlu, Hatice Mercan, Huriye Ş., İlknur Gökay Tuncel, Meltem Layıker, Neslihan Batur, Neslihan Kaya, Nilgün Akman Sümer, Nurcan T., Nurdan B., Nurhan A., Nursel T., Sahra Gizem Aksu, Sanem K., Selime P., Sevda Ş., Songül Değirmenci, Sultan Karabulut, Şahibe A., Şahinder K., Şefika Mercan, Zeynep Uçar, the name of one woman was not reported in the press.

December: Ayşegül T., Cahide C., Cemile D., Derya Damla Y., Derya Gül, Fatma H., Feriha Temiz, Gülderen Ç., Gülsenem Y., Gülser U., Güzin Ç., Hatun M., Hayriye Aylin Alkutay, Hibetullah el Muhammed el Nasır, Hülya Alacay, Hürmet D., Kadriye Başçı, Kezban Meşe, Kübra E., Lola Ibatova, Mariyam Aloui Ep Guitni, Melike Yağmur, Meral B., Meryem Yılmaz, Mülkiye Kazan, Nazik S., Nebahat Er, Nebahat Ö., Özlem Çopur, Ruliye A., Selva El Hinedi, Sevda Yalın, Ümmün Gülsüm B., Zehra Ç.

The names of women killed by men in the past years, reported in the press in 2021

Zeynep Göngör, Güldane B., Samira Rashidan, Emine Akkesen, Leyla Ganigülü, Nesrişah Yorgun, Destina Masal Türker, Tuğçe Mutlu Ünal, Ayşe T., Pakize A., Necla Büyükşen, Hediye D., Şeyma M., Mukadder Zeyrek, S.D.

The names of migrant women killed by men

Samira Lkhadır (Morocco), Samira Rashidan (Morocco), Melek Elşemo (Syria), Anzelika Sraufant (Ukraine), Baran Hasan Rasho (Ezidi), Zekiye Hossini (Afghanistan), Tarhana Yaman (Azerbaijan), Fatıma Haideri (Afghanistan), Tatyana Feodorova (Russia), Ayat A. (Kyrgyzstan), Selva El Hibedi (Syria), Hibetullah el Muhammed el Nasır (Syria), Mariyam Aloui Ep Guitni (Tunisia), Lola Ibatova (Uzbekistan), a woman from Afghanistan whose name was not reported in the news.

The names of trans people killed by men

Miraş Güneş (İzmir), Nefes Balkan (Kocaeli), Murat Sözübir (Tekirdağ), Berrak (İzmir)

*The feminicides committed in the past years, but reported in the press in 2021 have been included here.

(EMK/SD-VK)

Origin

BIA News Desk

Evrim Kepenek

@kepenekevrimm

[email protected]

all articles of the author

Editor of bianet Women’s News (2018). Editor of bianet Women’s and LGBTI+ News from October 2018 to February 2025. She conducts workshops on gender-focused journalism...

Editor of bianet Women’s News (2018). Editor of bianet Women’s and LGBTI+ News from October 2018 to February 2025. She conducts workshops on gender-focused journalism and reporting on gender-based violence. She is among the founders of the Women and LGBTI+ Commission of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS). She is a board member of the TGS Istanbul Branch for the 2023–2027 term. She received the Musa Anter Journalism Award in 2011 and the Turkish Psychiatric Association’s Best News Award in 2024. She worked as a reporter for Cumhuriyet, BirGün, İMC TV, DİHA, Jinha, and Jin News, and also worked for local newspapers in Rize. Her news reports and articles have been published in Sivil Sayfalar, Yeşil Gazete, Journo, and trade magazines. She is one of the founding writers of GOR, a Hemşin culture magazine. She contributed writings to the books Yeşilden Maviye Karadenizden Kadın Portreleri, Sırtında Sepeti, and Medya ve Yalanlar. She was a bianet intern in 2000. She graduated from the Department of International Relations at Istanbul Bilgi University.