Over the past seven months, CFWIJ (Coalition for Women in Journalism) has noted with concern the dangerous digital-physical terrain that women journalists in Turkey have had to navigate in order to continue doing their jobs. In 2021, as of July, the CFWIJ recorded 181 cases of violations against women journalists.
The state has routinely weaponized its institutions to target them. From January 2021 to August 2021, at least 84 women have faced legal persecution while 48 have been assaulted in the field by either the police force or supporters of the state.
Women journalists have also been targeted through organized troll campaigns online as well as through state media for criticizing government policies. Despite these intimidation tactics to silence them, however, women journalists continue to fulfil their civic role of holding power accountable.