Turkey sees rise in violence against women

Domestic violence and violence against women in general have doubled in Turkey in the past four years, a report prepared for a parliamentary panel indicates. The report for the parliamentary Human Rights Commission said from 2008 to 2011 Turkey recorded 263,506 cases of domestic abuse and violence against women, Today's Zaman reported. The number of gender-based incidents of violence went from 48,264 in 2008 to 80,398 in 2011, the report said. Istanbul turned out to be the most dangerous place for women with a total of 10,207 cases of domestic and gender-based violence reported last year. The release of the parliamentary Human Rights Commission report comes in the midst of a heated debate over whether gender-based violence is increasing in Turkey. The report compiled cases that included intentional homicide, intentional injury, sexual abuse, incest, sexual abuse of minors, torture, forced prostitution, deprivation of liberty, polygamy and fraudulent marriage.