Concern over increasing violence against women in Turkey

Turkish activists have launched a new campaign to uncover discrimination against women in Turkey where hundreds of women are killed every year in violent attacks that are overlooked by Turkish authorities.

The "Let all men stay at home" hastag came on top of all other hashtags on Twitter on Saturday, reflecting growing desperation with violence by men against women in Turkey.

Those participating in the campaign wrote critical comments on the lewd conduct of some men who wear tight jeans trousers.

A female participant said some men wear tight and short jeans trousers, put perfume like women do and laugh loudly on the streets.

Another participant called for stopping the killing of women at the hands of their husbands.

She said over 474 women were killed by their husbands in 2019.

The number of women killed in Turkey in the past five years is 75% higher than the number of women killed in the previous five years, according to an organization defending Turkish women.

In 2018, 440 women were killed because of domestic violence or at the hands of their husbands, the organization said.

It referred to the eruption of protests in a number of Turkish cities against domestic violence.

The women participating in the protests also denounced what they described as violations by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against women.

A Turkish newspaper said violence against women reached a record level in 2018. Ankara was the site of the largest number of rape crimes against women and children in 2018, the newspaper said.