Analysis of stalking as a risk factor for intimate partner femicide in Turkey

The aim of the study is to reveal the picture of femicide, which continues to exist as a current problem in Turkey, and to analyze the stalking elements that manifest as a serious threat before the murder. This study is based on the data provided from “Anıt Sayaç / The Monument Counter”.. The “Anıt Sayaç” is a platform that was established on the internet to keep alive the memory of women who died due to violence against women in Turkey, and contains daily updated news on femicide. The women victims have been analyzed under several criteria such as whether they were faced to stalking, by whom the stalking was carried out, which stalking behaviors were, and whether there was a restraining or protection order. As a result the investigation of 1250 femicide in total for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, it was encountered that 102 women were subjected to being stalked before they were killed. 65% of women exposed to stalking were stalked by a spouse/boyfriend/partner or ex-spouse/ex-boyfriend/ex-partner, and 15% of by someone they knew. It was observed that 22.5% of the 102 women who were subjected to stalking had a restraining or protection order. Most of the women were subjected to stalking by being followed and threatened. As a result, it can be said that the murdered women were subjected to stalking beforehand, this situation constitutes a risk factor for femicide, and the restraining or protection order were insufficient. At this point, it can be stated that policies and practices developed with a holistic approach towards stalking and femicide are important for a solution.