47 women killed in Turkey in February: Women’s rights group

ISTANBUL

Some 47 women were killed in February in Turkey, marking one of the highest femicide figures in recent months, according to a recent report released by the Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu (We Will Stop Femicides Platform), a women’s rights organization that monitors violence against women. 

The organization said the number of women who were killed in January was 28.

In addition to the high rate of femicide, the report added that child abuse and sexual assault cases continued in February.

According to data provided by the platform, 21 of the 47 women killed in February were murdered at home, seven were killed on the streets, three were killed in cars and two were killed at work, while it hasn’t been determined where the seven others were killed.

Similar to last month’s figures, 26 percent of women killed in February were murdered by their husbands, the report stated.

The report also underlined that more than half of the women killed last month were aged between 36 and 65.

According to data provided by the platform, 11 out of the 47 women were murdered for making decisions regarding their own lives, while the reason for 15 other cases are yet to be determined. Divorce and economic problems were among the other reasons behind the murders, the report stated.

In 2017, a total of 409 women were killed and 387 children were sexually abused in Turkey, according to data compiled by the same group.