Turkish women in the Erdogan era: Repression, humiliation and forced prostitution

Asmaa al-Batakoshi

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are committing abuses against women. The Women’s Assembly of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP) has condemned the arrest and detention of women by the Turkish authorities.

Political genocide

The HDP’s Women’s Assembly issued a written statement on the political genocide in Ankara and Mersin, saying that the ruling party has great fears about the power of women.

In the political genocide launched by the AKP, the administrations of the opposition party were arrested, including Derya Bakir and Ayse Merva of Ankara, Hanim Benji of Cankaya, Women’s Assembly member Meryem Kiraz, DAD member Sevgi Kisin Sazan, and Green Party member Newroz Kırkaya.

The ruling party continues its hostility against women and directs its strikes against them in every field. The pro-AKP media launch a smear campaign against the Women’s Assembly and the Free Women’s Movement.

Earlier, the Women’s Assembly confirmed that the AKP threatens women with torture and rape, pointing out that the party has been targeting Turkish women’s struggle for freedom since he came to power.

The assembly also highlighted political genocide against women, noting that Satya Oak and OGK coordinator Helen Yagmur were tortured and detained, while Gamze Tascier and Nobelda Seltek were arrested and forced to be interrogated naked.

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights recently prepared a report monitoring the Turkish president’s violations against women in light of the increasing repression and violation of women’s rights and their exposure to violence.

The report pointed out that women went out to demonstrate against the crimes they are subjected to in Istanbul.

Killing women

According to statistics issued by the organization “We Will Stop the Killing of Women,” which is concerned with crimes of violence against women, the rate of women being killed increased in the five years of Erdogan’s rule by 75%, adding that 49 women were killed in Turkey in the month of August alone.

Last year, there were 440 murders of Turkish women by domestic or marital violence, and many Turkish areas saw thousands of Turkish women protesters on the streets denouncing Erdogan’s abuses against them.

Another report by the organization confirmed that September 2018 was the deadliest for women in Turkey after witnessing the death of 53 women in Ankara.

Turkish newspaper Evrensel reported that the record of violence against women and children reached its highest level in 2018, as Turkey topped the list of countries in the world with the most cases of rape among children and women.

Meanwhile, 516 women were forced into prostitution, including girls as young as 18, 347 were harassed, and at least 380 were injured in domestic violence.

The newspaper stressed that women in Turkey suffer greatly, and at the forefront of their crises are weak wages and an increase in the unemployment rate, which amounted to 14.6%, as well as 43.4% working without a permit.

Among the world’s highest rates

For his part, Turkish expert Dr. Mohammed Abdul Qadir that there are a number of human rights-related situations, the most important of which is violence against women. Turkey is one of the highest countries in the world in this area, recording violations of women’s rights and exposure to domestic violence. In addition, women suffer from different forms of discrimination in employment within state institutions.

“The level of discrimination against women at work has not declined at all, and there are some estimates that it is on the rise continuously,” Abdul Qadir told the Reference.

He pointed out that the Turkish government does not seek to solve women’s problems such as underage marriage and domestic violence, while the Turkish parliament has refused to discuss such issues.

Women are being beaten on the roads, Abdul Qadir noted, adding that Syrian women refugees are forced into prostitution. The latest abuse was recorded by a Turkish actress who was sexually assaulted by a colleague on set.