Violence against women in Istanbul?

Question

When I was in Istanbul 2 years ago I was attacked (sexually)on the street when I was without my husband. I was dressed very modestly and was just walking along...I want to understand why this happened. Have any other western women (tourists or residents) had this experience? Is it a problem at all or was it just a random occurence that could have happened to a Turkish woman too?

Answer 1

http://www.haber3.com/haber.php?haber_id...

it is being published since weeks'  by the official(!) nun of the government.  the news paper did not even published my comment ab their separatist  thought.

its encouraged by uneducated (imam hatip does not count as a school) villain growth all the man government so its a common thing in Turkey. Officials(!) sentenced a woman at Galata with prison because her skirt was too short'' but fined 5-6 perverts (one of them was also from Iran) had hassled women both verbally and physically just by 57 Tl (45 dollars)..all of them were being grown in  conservative arabo-islamic cultures with a crowded population who still encourage their  folks families for having at least 3 kids etc, they love and consider s*x mmore than anytin and are never belong Turkey. but

EU ans  tooo soooooooo ~love em and their Human rights thing an umbrella for their  blows.

Answer 2

first of all, sorry to hear that you were attacked:(

but it is not something common, it was your bad luck unfortunately.

i know that since we are a country of muslim majority it is heard in the media that woman cant even go outside, but that are just lies. you can wear anything you want and all you will recieve is some whistling or name calling depends on the jerk, but sexual harrastment is a crime that is not more common than any other country in the world.

Answer 3

Nop , maybe Ur raper was a drunk idiot !

This doesn't happen in Istanbul.

Iwas there and it was totally peaceful and safe

Answer 4

The same thing happen to my sister. If it was two years ago and you still think about it, you need to see a therapist to help you get it off your chest.

Answer 5

I'm sorry, I wish we had not to hear things like this one, but it's something it could happened to you in any other city. Sad

Answer 6

Random

Answer 7

I live in Istanbul, I go out in the street all alone most of the time, I dress normally and I have been whistled at, but not attacked.

Do your own calculation.

Answer 8

Hmm...

Why do you have such stereotypes ?...

After all, perverts and biatches exist everywhere...

Especially in your neighbourhood...

Answer 9

I am currently in Turkey. I research  a specific part of society. I  have traveled here a few times, and I have many Turkish friends.

There is a reason why the bus system here has seats reserved just for women. A very independent female friend, who is Turkish, only reserves these seats because of how the men act toward her.  She too has had problems with the men.

I know several Turkish police officers and they all tell me not to go out at night and to be careful during the day.   For the past several weeks, every day, several times a day I am approached by a male asking "Where's husband" "are you alone, excuse" and "Lady, where are you from please."  I have been chased down the street by a group of guys and when I was in this one city this guy harrassed me several times a day.  The men are argressive to say the least.  One of the days, I was dressed very conservately as I was going to a mosque that day.

I myself keep asking myself and friends why is this behavior tollerated and why do they act like this.  My one Turkish friend jokes "This is Turkey."  However, I will say that this is a very small minority of Turkish men, and I think it is  more prevelent in Touristy areas.  When I stayed at the Conrad in Istanbul, I wasnt harrassed at all when I walked around or by the staff, but when I'm down by the Aya Sophia, I have the problem.  When I'm in the Capital (Ankara)- nothing.  It's like walking down the street in an American city.  But by the sea... its aweful.  I do think Turkey has a higher prevelance and tollerance toward this than many European cities.  It's just tollerated by soceity if you are an American/European woman.

Also, most of the Turkish men I know are wonderful, kind, respectful, and I could never say enough kind things about them.  And I have had some very pleasant encounters with shop keepers, bus drivers, and other individuals.

Edit:

♥ ☼ ♫ I. A. ♫ ☼ ♥  You seem to have a lot of hostility and you didn't read my statement. I was not criticizing Turkey nor was I saying this couldn’t happen in the US. My answer was balanced. You failed to see that I was saying this type of behavior is an aberration in Turkish society, but it seems more prevalent than in other societies, especially European and American societies. Moreover, these other societies  do not have travel warnings for this type of behaviors.  I was expressing an observation, one that I am actually very well qualified to make as I am a social scientist who studies this type of behavior in societies – all societies.  I have been to Paris many times, as well as a dozens of other US and European cities.  I’ve also lived in Europe for a few summers.  Moreover, I am more than aware of the sexual assaults and rape statistics for most of the countries as well the prevalence of the s*x industry throughout the world.  I am also well versed in the laws and policies that try to reduce it.  Did you know that the US has laws that prohibit their citizens from engaging in such behaviors outside of the US and with great expense they do prosecute?  Getting back to the original question at hand and how a very small percentage of men treat foreign women, Turkey’s is trying to curb this problem as they recognize it is a problem, and a serious one at that. There are also traveling warnings for Turkey issues by governments addressing this situation as well.  Instead of answering from your hostile and impulsive position, study up on the situation and read the whole response before posting your next answer.

Answer 10

SJ go to www.iem.gov.tr and tell your story in there. Here is not the place to advertise your Anti Turk propaganda. But probably that's something which makes u sleep good at night. Oh well at least less pricey than seeing a psychotherapist, I give u that.

Answer 11

I wouldnt be surprised, Turkey is well known by Europe as having extreme human right issues. I am kinda surprised this happened in Instabul, since many Turks consider the lifestyle there "modern".

Answer 12

Well, pervs are pervs everywhere.  I can give you 3 examples I know in Austria, fathers had babies from their own children. In Greece it is even more, when pervs have enough time other than playing with another pervs. This is why in SOME comedy Hollywood movies, you can see a goat scene, when the scene is related to Greeks. Well they make jokes, but has some serious point.

I also have to admit; yes in Turkey I saw few times Kurds were grabbing women's behind. However, I swear I have not seen any Turk did it. Still that does not mean we don't have pervs. I saw many of them looking to women nasty way.

As I mention before pervs are pervs everywhere.

Answer 13

hi,

this is very important issue and please check out this link for more info.about violence against women and girls over all the world.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheet...

i hope,help you

Answer 14

i lived in Istanbul more than 10 years  . never ever witnessed something like this or been victim myself.  . your question your story is so  fake i don't want to even comment about it. if it was true you would tell the same story to Turkish police instead of writing here. its obvious you are prejudice against Turks and turkey

Answer 15

Just try to walk in certain neighbourhoods of Paris or London suburbs :  You would face insults just because you don't answer to these stupid guys ( who stare at women as if they had never seen one). Especially when they see a beautiful one... A girl with good make-up and/or a mini-skirt is "supposed to want something", and if she refuses to talk or give her number then she is called " b***"...

How sad...

And I don't even mention Harlem , Philadelphia or East LA, places which have a terrible rape rate...

Answer 16

Your question isn't sensible at all.

A) Supposing every Turkish man is born a pervert, don't you think you'd realize that when you were there and wouldn't even bother questioning whether what you have experienced is a random occurence or not?

B) Supposing you ARE aware that this has nothing to do with the country, why are you still inquiring further? Do you really think that perverts have the brains to distinguish between Turkish and foreign women when they decide to carry out their most disgusting designs? Does it sound convincing at all : "oh no wait, I won't harass her because she's Turkish, let me find a fat American"

I think you, like every logical person, know the answer to your question.

Edit:

If you have no insane proposition concerning the pshychological health of the Turkish male population, then you shouldn't be claiming that in Turkey Western women get harassed more than the others. If you do have a belief as such, what is the reason of you asking "Is it a problem at all or was it just a random occurence that could have happened to a Turkish woman too?" It seems you already have an answer.

I never said you can't distinguish a tourist from a native, I said a pervert would not mind whether the woman is Turkish or a foreigner. If you need further assistance in understanding this very simple sentence, I would be more than happy to help you. Obviously, your little trip to Istanbul for a couple of days was not enough for you to realize that there are blond and blue eyed Turkish women. A tourist can be spotted very easily, it has less to do with his/her appearance than his/her behaviour. So I suggest you and other 'Western' women, apparently that means blond and blue eyed for you lol, to spend a couple of months in a country before attempting to psychoanalyze the pervert male population of it.

Answer 17

I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you and appreciate your bravery in sharing your experience with us.

Above all, I would say that a physical attack on a woman could happen anywhere and under any circumstance. It is not your fault (how you dressed etc) or the city that you were in, sadly, these attacks happen worldwide and to all sorts of people.

Unfortunately, Istanbul, like any major city, is not immune to sexual attacks. I doubt that it is worse than Paris, London or New York. There are perverts out there who will do stupid things. I hope that you can recover and realise that it is not connected to Turkey, Istanbul or even to you. It could happen to anyone, anywhere.

I (a single female) have lived safely in Turkey for 15 years. I've had my pocket picked, my flat broken into, but I've never been under physical threat. I used to live in London......

Answer 18

This is usual in a Muslim country. The Muslims believe that non Muslim women are easy and they don't respect them. I have Muslim friends and I know their mentality.

Edit: my Muslim friends and neighbors are Kurds of Turkey and Arabs. Maybe Turks are more civilized but still, their mentality in relations it's similar with the other muslims.