Mystery Falls: Are Femicides Hidden in Suicide Stats?

Each year, hundreds of women in Turkey die by 'throwing themselves from a high place,' a figure that has grown significantly and now accounts for one in four female suicides in the country. Grieving families and gender-based violence campaigners contend that these statistics mask femicides, murders of women targeted due to their gender, with authorities allegedly overlooking or obscuring evidence.

Şebnem Köker's father suspects foul play after his daughter's death, despite police initially ruling it a suicide. Similarly, Aysun Yıldırım's parents believe their daughter's death was not a suicide, as investigations were closed prematurely. These cases, and others like them, underscore a systemic issue where suspicious deaths of women are not thoroughly investigated.

Activists, like Gülsüm Kav of We Will Stop Femicide, emphasize the need for rigorous forensic examination in all suspicious fall cases. They argue that advancements in forensic techniques make it harder to conceal homicides as suicides, yet prosecutors can still close cases without sufficient investigation. The struggle for justice in Turkey highlights a broader fight against gendered violence and the undercounting of femicides.

Legal battles, such as the one for Aysun Yıldırım, involve persistent efforts to reopen cases, with evidence like DNA under fingernails and location data suggesting foul play. Despite these efforts, progress is often slow, leading to prolonged suffering for families and a sense that justice is not accessible to all, prompting appeals to international courts.