In October, Türkiye witnessed its highest number of femicides on record.1 As the Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is marked on November 25, SAT-7 TÜRK wants women in Türkiye to know that they are not alone in their suffering. “We want to show that we see women and hear their voices,” says Şemsa Deniz Bakır, host of SAT-7 TÜRK’S women’s program Homemade. “We are doing, and will continue to do, whatever we can for women.”
The program, which is now in its eighth season, addressed the issue of combating violence against women with experts on the subject in a live episode on Monday (November 25). “We try to present women, their stories, and their perspectives in many programs, without being limited to a single [UN] day,” Şemsa added.
The episode hosted İstanbul Aydın University Lecturer and Lawyer Özlem Şen Karamanlı and İstanbul Aydın University Women’s Studies Coordinator and Sociology Department Assistant Professor Burcu Güdücü. The guests emphasized the importance of raising awareness and taking action to combat this pervasive problem. The discussion highlighted the need for societal change, legal reforms, and support systems to protect and empower women. The guests called for collective responsibility in creating a safer environment for all women in the country.
Rising Violence
Violence against Turkish women has worsened in recent years, with campaigners citing Türkiye’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in 2021 as a backward step for the protection of women in the country. Activist group We Will Stop Femicides said that in October 2024, 48 women were killed by femicide and another 23 died under suspicious circumstances during the one-month period. They claim that over 400 women have been murdered by men in Türkiye in 2024 so far.2
Violence against women is “embedded and normalized” within Turkish culture, explains SAT-7 TÜRK’s Gulsum I. “Some women think it’s normal to have such an experience. Your husband or father can yell at you, do physical violence to you, and it’s normal,” she said.
The concept of honor in Eastern cultures fuels this perception, she says. “Some people in Türkiye – unfortunately a lot of men in Türkiye – think they have right to kill women if they cheat on their husbands. That’s why honor killings are happening.”
There is much work to be done, but Gülsüm does at least see evidence of some positive change. “Things have changed in that there are more NGOs working on it,” she says. “Especially in the big cities, people who really have a heart for [this issue] are working on it really hard, every day, to change it – to change the society. There are good steps being taken but we have a long way to go.”
Holistic Support
SAT-7 TÜRK is playing its part in bringing about change for Turkish women by offering holistic support for viewers, including listening, offering practical tips, signposting and more. “We are not only addressing the issues; we are trying to show them the solutions,” Gülsüm explained. “Some women don’t know there are NGOs they can go to. Some women don’t know what the next step is.”
SAT-7 TÜRK’s Annamaria emphasized how important viewer feedback is, referencing a SAT-7 TÜRK project called Self-Defense that came about in response to viewer needs. “We listen to what the women are actually telling us. What kind of feedback are we getting? It’s very important to listen.”
Supporting parents in how they bring up their children is important, too. “You have to raise a new generation of men who are different if you really want to make a difference,” says Annamaria.
Please Pray
“That young people in Türkiye can get an education. Because education can change everything. May God give wisdom to our team to address the problems in the right way,” says Gülsüm.
“For courage for all our women, all our daughters, for everyone – to make their voices heard. Because that needs courage. Then, we can amplify their voice and make it heard,” says Annamaria.
Sources
1 Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu 2024 Ekim Raporu
2 Anıt Sayaç : Şiddetten Ölen Kadınlar İçin Dijital Anıt
