Domestic Violence and Challenges Faced by Migrant Women in Turkey; Aida's Story from Kyrgyzstan

Aida, a woman from Kyrgyzstan living in Antalya, Turkey, returned home from her job in the public relations department of a hotel one afternoon at five o'clock. As soon as she entered the house, she noticed that her husband's usual parking spot was empty. Earlier, she had called her mother, who lives in Kyrgyzstan, to share her fears and concerns. Checking for her husband's car had become a habit for her. Aida, who had previously been assaulted by her husband, had filed a complaint against him, and according to a legal ruling, he was not allowed to approach her. Aida told Radio Free Europe, "I realized my husband was hiding behind the door with a knife. I started begging and shouting, but he didn't listen. He started hitting me. He tried to push me back with the knife handle, and then I got injured." Aida's screams prompted her neighbors to call the police. She said, "If the police hadn't arrived on time, he might have killed me. He beat and abused me for two hours." When Aida saw the police, she immediately filed a complaint against her husband and decided to divorce him. Aida has been living in Antalya for six years. In 2021, she married a Turkish man, and a year later, they had a child. Aida says her husband initially insulted her, but over time, physical violence began as well. She endured everything for the sake of her child's well-being. This violence peaked in January of that year, to the extent that the police arrested her husband and issued a restraining order preventing him from contacting her from a distance of twenty meters. Aida was transferred to the hospital's emergency room in a critical condition. She says, "While beating me, my husband said that even if you hand me over to the police, I will be released in 15 to 20 days, and I will kill you. He said this even the last time." In May 2022, Turkey's penal code increased penalties for specific violence against women. According to Article 106 of this law, anyone who systematically threatens women verbally can be sentenced to six months to two years in prison. On the other hand, those who intentionally harm women may face imprisonment of four to six months. Foreign women residing in Turkey have the same rights as local women. According to the Stop Femicide page, in 2024, 397 women were killed in Turkey, and the deaths of hundreds of other women are still under investigation. It is still unclear how many of these women were foreigners. Aida now intends to return to her home country, Kyrgyzstan, after receiving a court ruling. She tells Radio Free Europe, "My main goal now is to legally obtain custody of my child and deprive my husband of parental rights because I cannot leave my child alone with such a violent person." The Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on January 23 that a report of the attack on Aida had been registered at the consulate of her country in Antalya. The ministry's statement noted that "the local police have arrested the husband of the injured woman, and investigations are ongoing." The ministry added that it is following up on the matter, and the Kyrgyz consulate in Antalya is in contact with the victim and is providing her with legal assistance. After the attack, a criminal case was opened against Aida's husband on January 20, and her lawyer confirmed that the court would decide on their child's custody. According to her lawyer, deprivation of parental rights for the father is only possible under exceptional circumstances. She added, "If he suffers from a mental illness, such as schizophrenia, or if he has committed serious crimes or uses drugs and is unfit for any action, the court will decide that even if the child is with the mother, the father will have visitation rights once a week or once a month." Aida's lawyer also noted that the divorce request was filed immediately after the attack, and the case processing could take at least a year. She said, "Currently, we have requested that custody be granted to the mother. Only after consulting with teachers and other specialists will custody rights be granted to women from Kyrgyzstan." Other cases of violence against Kyrgyz women living in Turkey have also been recorded previously. According to the Kyrgyz ambassador in Turkey, there are currently over 32,000 registered citizens of Kyrgyzstan in Turkey, most of whom are women. Protests against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention took place in Istanbul on July 1, 2021. According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Social Security, 53% of Kyrgyz migrants abroad are women. Civil activists have repeatedly stated that migrant women need legal and moral support. However, an analysis published in 2023 by the International Organization for Migration shows that the main reasons for Kyrgyz women's migration are unemployment, lack of resources, and financial debts. Currently, over one million people from Kyrgyzstan's population of approximately seven million have migrated. According to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Index, Kyrgyzstan has been recognized as the most dangerous country for women in Central Asia for two consecutive years. According to the judiciary report, in the past two and a half years, 34 women in Kyrgyzstan have lost their lives due to domestic violence. The Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that in the first ten months of 2024, 14,293 cases of domestic violence were registered in the country, which is 37.2% higher than in 2023. Turkey officially withdrew from the Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women, known as the Istanbul Convention, on July 1, 2021. The aim of this convention is "zero tolerance" for violence. Turkey's withdrawal from this convention was accompanied by widespread protests in major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, where protesters carried placards with slogans like "We will not abandon the Istanbul Convention." The Istanbul Convention, adopted in 2011 in Istanbul, is an important legal document in the fight against violence against women, signed by 47 countries as well as the European Union.