According to news reports compiled by bianet from local and national newspapers, news websites, and news agencies, men killed at least 25 women in August. Men also killed at least three men who were with the women.
In August, men injured at least 71 women, abused at least nine girls and boys, and harassed 21 women. Men forced 69 women into sex work.
Men killed 195 women in the first eight months of 2026. Additionally, men drove two women to suicide in Bursa and Antalya.
The deaths of at least 35 women and 12 children in August were suspicious cases where it could not be definitively determined whether they were gender-based.
Suspicious deaths of women reported in the media in August
Afyon (1), Antalya (3), Aydın (2), Batman (2), Bolu (1), Çankırı (1), Çorum (2), Diyarbakır (2), Edirne (1), İstanbul (2), İzmir (1), Kayseri (1), Kocaeli (1), Malatya (1), Maraş (1), Mersin (1), Muğla (1), Ordu (1), Osmaniye (1), Sakarya (1), Samsun (2), Sinop (1), Urfa (2), Van (1), Zonguldak (2).
Suspicious child deaths reported in the media in August
Antalya (1), Aydın (2), Batman (1), Isparta (1), Kütahya (1), Manisa (1), Mardin (1), Siirt (1), Urfa (2), Van (1).
2026–2021 male violence
In the first eight months of 2026, men killed 195 women, harassed 132 women, abused 156 children, committed acts of violence against 395 women, and raped 64 women. Men forced at least 845 women into sex work. While the deaths of 341 women were reported in the media as “suspicious,” men killed at least 15 children.
In the first eight months of 2025, men killed 200 women, harassed 154 women, abused 161 children, committed acts of violence against 490 women, and raped seven women. Men forced at least 797 women into sex work. While the deaths of 308 women were reported in the media as “suspicious,” men killed at least 42 children.
In the first eight months of 2024, men killed 245 women, harassed 52 women, abused 103 children, committed acts of violence against 398 women, and raped eight women. Men forced at least 266 women into sex work. While the deaths of 190 women were reported as “suspicious,” men killed at least 31 children.
In the first eight months of 2023, men killed 205 women, harassed 45 women, abused 88 children, committed acts of violence against 512 women, and raped eight women. Men forced at least 188 women into sex work. While the deaths of 170 women were reported in the media as “suspicious,” men killed at least 17 children.
Femicide
Men killed 25 women in August. Last year, the number was 23 for the same month.
Names of women killed by men in August
Asya A., Asya C., Bedriye N., Canan M., Cihan Ç., D.Elina Şengül, Fatma S., Figen Baran, Hacer S., Hatice A., Hasret K., İpek Gezer, Neslihan K., Nilda Müge Şahin, Reyhan Acar, Sabire D., Selin Gökhan, Seve S., Sevilay K., Sulan Kara, Sultan P., Süheyla Y., Şerife Gezer, Y.A.O., Elif Gülşah Y.
Men killed six women because they did not want to break up with them or reconcile. The motives behind the men’s killings of 19 women were not reported in the media.
Twenty women were killed by their husbands, boyfriends, or former fiancés; four women were killed by men who were their sons or relatives. The identity of the man who killed one woman was not reported in the media. Men killed 13 women inside their homes and 12 women outside their homes.
Men killed 19 women with firearms and two women with bladed weapons. Men also killed four women by strangulation and by throwing them off a balcony.
Provinces where men killed women
Adana (2), Ankara (1), Antalya (1), Batman (1), Bursa (1), Diyarbakır (2), Elazığ (1), İstanbul (4), Kayseri (1), Kütahya (1), Manisa (1), Mardin (3), Maraş (1), Muğla (2), Niğde (1), Urfa (1), Yalova (1).
Legal proceedings
There were 54 perpetrators who killed the women. 27 perpetrators were arrested. 13 perpetrators were taken into custody. Three perpetrators fled. Nine perpetrators committed suicide. One perpetrator was released.
Femicide solved in August
It was determined that Gülay Akgün M. (41), whose lifeless body was found in Ankara, was shot and killed by her brother, K.A. (45). The man, who had fled, was apprehended and taken into custody. An investigation was launched. It was also reported that K.Y., who assisted in the crime, was taken into custody.
It was determined that Reyhan Acar (24), a woman shot and killed on the street in Adana, was murdered by a man named B.F. (24). The man, who attempted to flee, was caught and arrested. An investigation has been launched. F.T. (25), Y.Y. (23), E.K. (21), B.D. (25), S.Ö. (23), H.C.A. (20), E.Ç. (28), M.A. (32), V.Ö. (34), N.D. (19), B.D. (36), and K.B. (27)—who helped B.F. escape—were also taken into custody and subsequently arrested. An investigation has been launched.
Child murder case solved in August
It was determined that Yunus Emre Y. (4), a child who died after falling on January 24 in Afyon, had actually been beaten to death. As part of the investigation, the stepfather, B.K., was arrested on charges of “intentional homicide of a child and cruelty.” The step-grandfather, M.K., was arrested on charges of “intentional homicide by negligence and concealing evidence of a crime.” The mother, Z.K., and A.K. were placed under judicial supervision.
In Van, it was determined that a 14-year-old girl named Damlanur S., who was alleged to have committed suicide with a gun at her home on January 10 two years ago, had actually been murdered. Seven people were taken into custody as part of the investigation.
Harassment
In August, men harassed at least 21 women. This number was 27 in the same month last year. One of the women harassed by men was from South Korea.
Men harassed 20 women outside their homes and one woman inside her home.
Provinces where men harassed women
Denizli (1), Edirne (2), Elazığ (1), Eskişehir (1), İstanbul (3), İzmir (2), Maraş (1), Muğla (1), Sakarya (4), Samsun (4), Zonguldak (1).
Legal proceedings
There were 20 male perpetrators who harassed the women. Three perpetrators were arrested, and four were taken into custody. Legal proceedings were initiated against 10 perpetrators. One perpetrator was released under judicial supervision. One perpetrator was fined. The legal proceedings against one perpetrator were not reported in the media.
Child abuse
In August, men abused at least nine girls and boys. Last year, the number was 13 during the same month. One of the children was a Syrian refugee.
One child was abused by a delivery person who came to the house, three by a neighbor, one by a municipal employee, and one by a relative. The identities of the men who molested three children were not reported in the press.
Provinces where men abused children
Diyarbakır (1), İstanbul (1), Kocaeli (2), Muğla (1), Samsun (2), Tekirdağ (1), Urfa (1).
Legal proceedings
There were eight perpetrators who abused the children. Three perpetrators were taken into custody, and three were arrested. One perpetrator was killed by the child’s relatives. One perpetrator was placed under house arrest.
Sexual assault/rape
In August, men raped two women. Last year, the number was three for the same month.
The identities of the four men who raped one woman were not disclosed; the man who raped the other woman was identified.
Men also raped two women inside their homes.
Provinces where men raped women
Antep (1), İstanbul (1)
Legal proceedings
There were five perpetrators. Four were arrested. Legal proceedings were initiated against one.
Violence/assault
In August, men injured at least 71 women. Last year, the number was 76 for the same month.
At least six women were hospitalized with injuries.
At least 52 women were injured by their partners—such as their husbands, ex-husbands, or fiancés—eight by relatives, and two by neighbors. The identities of the men who injured nine women were not reported in the media.
Men injured at least 16 women because they “did not want to reconcile or wanted to break up,” and three women because they were jealous. The “pretext” for the men’s injuries to 52 women was not reported in the press.
Men injured 29 women inside the home and 42 women outside the home.
The men injured 49 women by beating them, 13 with firearms, and five with sharp objects. The men strangled two women and threw two others off a balcony.
Provinces where men committed violence against women
Adana (4), Adıyaman (1), Aksaray (3), Antalya (4), Aydın (3), Bursa (2) Denizli (1), Diyarbakır (1), Edirne (23), Eskişehir 3), İstanbul (8), Karabük (1), Kayseri (3), Kocaeli, (2), Konya (2), Kütahya (1), Mardin (1), Mersin (2), Sakarya (1), Samsun (1), Trabzon (1), Urfa (2).
Legal proceedings
There were at least 78 perpetrators who committed violence against women. Only 10 of the perpetrators were arrested. Legal proceedings were initiated against 36 perpetrators. Twenty perpetrators were taken into custody. Two perpetrators were released. The legal proceedings for 10 perpetrators were not reported in the media.
Forced sex work
In August, men forced at least 69 women into sex work. Last year, the number was 39 for the same month. Children were also among those forced into sex work.
Provinces where women were forced into sex work
Ankara (29), İstanbul (14), Konya (6), Malatya (12), Mersin (5), Samsun (3).
Legal proceedings
There were 64 perpetrators who forced women into sex work. At least 25 perpetrators were arrested. 19 perpetrators were taken into custody. The legal proceedings for at least 20 perpetrators were not reported in the media.
Explanation
bianet Male Violence Monitoring Report only covers women who lost their lives as a result of male violence reported in the press.
We do not include any violence cases or crimes that are not gender-based.
Throughout the year, we keep track of unidentified murders and suspicious deaths of women in separate monthly tallies but do not add them to the number presented in the headline.
At the end of the year, we examine these cases of unidentified murders and suspicious deaths to determine whether the crimes were gender-based. We add the gender-based incidents into the report.
We do not include any murders in the reports that are committed by people with psychological disorders (such as murders committed by people with schizophrenia).
We include suicide or suicide attempt incidents in the tally only if the woman was subjected to violence/ systematic violence in her past. We cover these suicide incidents in a separate category and do not add suicide cases to the number presented in the headline.
In addition, we don't include femicide cases that occur in a mass murder in which the woman was not directly targeted under the condition that the debated incident is not gender based either.
Occupations of the offenders only included in the reports when the incident of violence is related to the occupation of the offender. For example, "Woman was murdered at home by his husband, who is a professional soldier."
(EMK/VK)
