Turkey Fails Domestic Violence Victims
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Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
He immediately pulled the knife out of his back pocket.
He said, “Today, no one’s going to get out of here alive.”
Narration: The government estimates 307 women were killed in Turkey by men in 2021.
38 had restraining orders issued for their protection at the time they were killed.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Turkey needs to make protection more than a piece of paper issued by a court.
Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
He immediately pulled the knife out of his back pocket.
He said, “Today, no one’s going to get out of here alive.”
Narration: The government estimates 307 women were killed in Turkey by men in 2021.
38 had restraining orders issued for their protection at the time they were killed.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Turkey needs to make protection more than a piece of paper issued by a court.
Narration: In 2019, Merzuka’s ex-husband attacker her and her daughter with a knife in Istanbul. He was released from custody the next day.
Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
They’d give us a piece of paper. “Here you are, we’ve issued a restraining order. He won’t come.” But the following day, I’d come home from work and there he was again at the door. He would be sitting on the steps of the building. What kind of restraining order is that?
Narration: Turkish courts issue thousands of orders every year to prevent recurring domestic violence and protect victims, but they are not enforced.
Birsen Baş Topaloğlu, Merzuka’s lawyer
Women actually go and get there orders as a last resort .The state needs to undertake effective oversight.
Narration: When Merzuka’s daughter called for help on social media, her story went viral.
Only then was Merzuka’s ex-husband arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to 12 years, but he may be released on probation soon under Turkey’s sentencing guidelines.
Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
What is my biggest fear right now? He’s going to end up at my door as soon as he gets out of there. I don’t know what I’m going to do in that moment.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Turkish authorities should ensure court orders to protect women are enforced, take stronger measures to prevent domestic violence and punish perpetrators.
In 2019, Merzuka’s ex-husband attacker her and her daughter with a knife in Istanbul. He was released from custody the next day.
Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
They’d give us a piece of paper. “Here you are, we’ve issued a restraining order. He won’t come.” But the following day, I’d come home from work and there he was again at the door. He would be sitting on the steps of the building. What kind of restraining order is that?
Narration: Turkish courts issue thousands of orders every year to prevent recurring domestic violence and protect victims, but they are not enforced.
Birsen Baş Topaloğlu, Merzuka’s lawyer
Women actually go and get there orders as a last resort .The state needs to undertake effective oversight.
Narration: When Merzuka’s daughter called for help on social media, her story went viral.
Only then was Merzuka’s ex-husband arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to 12 years, but he may be released on probation soon under Turkey’s sentencing guidelines.
Merzuka Altunsöğüt, Survivor of Domestic Violence:
What is my biggest fear right now? He’s going to end up at my door as soon as he gets out of there. I don’t know what I’m going to do in that moment.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Turkish authorities should ensure court orders to protect women are enforced, take stronger measures to prevent domestic violence and punish perpetrators.
(Istanbul, May 26, 2022) – The Turkish government is failing victims of domestic violence even though the police and courts have issued a rising number of restraining orders designed to protect women and break cycles of abuse, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
The 86-page report, “Combatting Domestic Violence in Turkey: The Deadly Impact of Failure to Protect,” found failure to enforce court orders leaves women open to continuing abuse from current or former husbands and partners. In some cases, women have been killed despite having obtained restraining orders intended to protect them. The research took place against the backdrop of Turkey’s July 2021 withdrawal from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention.