Content note: This piece contains graphic descriptions of violence committed against women. If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-799-7233 to reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline or go to https://www.thehotline.org/ for additional resources. 

When one of my friends invited me to attend a meeting of the Arab American affinity group, I enthusiastically accepted. “What are we discussing?” I asked. She responded that we would be learning about the current situation in Turkey. My confusion must have been evident, as then she described the rampant misogyny and violence Turkish women are facing. I felt embarrassed about my ignorance on the topic. 

I soon learned about the horrific reality of women in Turkey. One particularly shocking case occurred on October 24, when a male Turkish teenager slit the throat of his girlfriend Ayşenur Hall before murdering and beheading his ex-girlfriend, İkbal Uzuner. He then threw Uzuner’s head from Istanbul’s city walls in the presence of her horrified mother. Following the tragedy, fellow members of his incel group group on Discord praised the murders. 

This atrocious murder came on the heels of a killing spree against women in Turkey that has resulted in around 300 murders this year alone. Many of these murderers have long criminal records and histories of violence but are often released early from prison or simply acquitted.  

Women have also been subjected to sexual harassment and assault in horrifyingly high numbers. In 2023 alone, there were over 190,000 sexual offense cases filed, with over 65,000 of them involving child sexual abuse. Many women protested across the country, especially after authorities found the body of eight-year-old Narin Güran just outside of her village.  

The Turkish government’s response has been highly inadequate, despite President Erdoğan's pledge to strengthen the criminal justice system in Turkey. Many women remain skeptical, particularly after Turkey’s controversial 2021 withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, an international agreement aimed at preventing violence against women and queer people.  

While there are laws in place to protect women, such as Turkey’s Law No. 6284, which provides protection for citizens from domestic violence, women’s rights activists and lawyers push for more. For example, activists Hülya Gülbahar and Ceren Kalay Eken argue that the state government falls short in its efforts to enforce these laws and protect women from the violence currently sweeping the nation. As Emma Sinclari-Webb said in her Human Rights Watch report, the government sees the fight against domestic violence as a way to protect the nuclear family instead of protecting “women’s rights or ensuring gender equality.”  

Despite the severity of this situation, news about the plight of Turkish women is scarcely being reported on in America. As Jews, we must not forget that there are still just under 15,000 Jews living in Turkey, many of them severely affected by the violence towards women.  

Jews have a strong history in the region, yet their presence in Turkey started to dwindle near the end of the Ottoman Empire due to pressure to assimilate. Additionally, while women were not encouraged to have political voices, many Jewish men participated in the Young Turks rebellion that established a constitutional government. Despite Jewish support and governmental positions, the Turks questioned Jewish loyalty to the greater nationalist cause. As a result, many Jews emigrated to Israel, Europe, and America, leaving only about 10% of the Jewish population remaining in Turkey in the 1930s.  

Although Jewish women have a strong history of advocating for the safety and well-being of Jews globally, we must also remember the broader historical role Jewish women have played in fighting for justice and equality for women everywhere. For example, Bella Abzug  fought against discrimination globally. After a successful career as a lawyer and a three-term member of the House of Representatives, she advocated for both women’s rights and national peace amongst the tumultuous backdrop of the Cold War. Abzug was appointed as co-chair of the National Advisory Commission for Women in 1977. She used her platform to become active in the UN Decade of Women conferences and ultimately was instrumental in helping to form an international women’s caucus in 1995.

When we look at the struggles women face around the world, particularly in Turkey, we must remember that the fight for gender equality is far from over. Just as previous generations of Jewish women have stood in solidarity with oppressed groups, we must now take up the cause for those suffering from both misogyny and violence. The legacy of activists like Bella Abzug, who fought for justice on both a local and global scale, calls us to act.

Attending my friend’s club truly opened my eyes to the horrific reality that is day-to-day life for many Turkish women. Our discussion showed me the importance of educating ourselves about human rights violations across the globe, and why we need to raise our voices for those who are being silenced. We should not stand by while our sisters in Turkey are murdered, silenced, and denied their basic rights. Whether it’s supporting women’s rights organizations, demanding stronger international pressure on the Turkish government, or simply sharing the stories of Turkish women, we need to unite in the fight for women’s rights in Turkey and everywhere. Together, we can continue the work of those who came before us and build a future where women are heard, respected, and protected.