Survey: Many Women in Türkiye Accept Spousal Beatings as Justified

A poll of 8,075 married women in Türkiye found that 39 percent considered physical punishment by a husband acceptable under at least one of five scenarios, including overspending, neglecting children, or refusing sex. In rural areas, that figure climbed to 57 percent.

Disagreeing with a husband ranked as the most commonly cited justification, followed by excessive spending and child neglect. The study was conducted by Hacettepe University in Ankara with funding from the European Union and the Turkish government.

The EU, which Türkiye has been working to join, has pressed Ankara to strengthen legal protections for women.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.