29 women killed in April alone in Türkiye as femicide crisis intensifies

ISTANBUL

Femicide remains one of Türkiye’s most urgent and persistent social issues, with over 138 women killed in the first four months of 2025, including 29 in April alone, according to recent reports from femicide and women’s associations.

Most of these women were murdered by men they had divorced or were in the process of divorcing.

Last year, Türkiye’s Support for Women (KADES) application, designed to combat violence against women, received nearly 1.4 million reports, and support was provided to around 920,000 women subjected to violence.

The app enables users to send alerts to law enforcement with a button press by activating the phone’s location feature.

Despite such preventive measures, femicide remains a deeply rooted and harrowing crisis in the country, with a large share of the victims killed by men they were once in a relationship with.

Lawyer Kardelen Yarlı pointed to major shortcomings in the legal system, noting that such shortfalls embolden potential perpetrators.

She noted that the perception of impunity and the lack of protective measures have become key factors fueling violence against women.

There is a common belief that receiving a sentence does not necessarily mean serving it, according to Yarlı. She explained that many offenders are aware that, under current enforcement laws, they are unlikely to serve their full prison terms.

“Someone sentenced to 20 years might expect to serve only 10, thinking that there could be a general amnesty or new legal reforms. When this mindset becomes widespread, the justice system loses its power to deter and rehabilitate.”