When Turkish pop star Sila reported her partner's physical violence to police, it was a rare moment in Turkish history: a celebrity speaking out against her abuse.
Rights groups say Turkish laws to help protect victims have improved. But traditional patriarchal attitudes dominant in conservative society as well as a lack of awareness often prevent women from speaking out against abuse. In 2018, 440 women were killed in murders linked to their gender, according to the women's rights group We Will Stop Femicide, compared with 210 in 2012.
Turkey was the first country to ratify the 2011 Istanbul Convention, the world's most progressive binding accord to prevent and combat violence against women. "Sometimes police don't remind women they have a right to a lawyer. This is very valuable," she said.