Why women’s shelters in Turkey no longer provide safety
The high-profile domestic abuse case of a popular actor shows violence against women is accepted, and even defended when it comes to powerful men.
With his piercing blue eyes and a habit of baring his front teeth when angry, Ozan Guven might well be one of the most charismatic actors of the Turkish screen. Known for his portrayal of ambitious, hot-tempered and abusive characters in two of Turkey’s top-rated soaps — “Phi” and “Magnificent Century” — Guven became headline news in July when his girlfriend, Deniz Bulutsuz, filed a case against him for violence and physical abuse. Guven may face up to 13 years of imprisonment.
“So Guven is Can Manay after all,” said one tweet, referring to the main character in the Turkish series “Phi,” where the antagonist, a smooth-talking psychiatrist, eventually reveals himself to be a psychopath with a history of abuse, violence and even femicide.
The Turkish opinion remained divided as Bulutsuz unfolded photos of her bruises, a black eye and a testimony that said that she had been slammed against a wall by Guven. Women’s activists and a group of screenwriters called on production companies to blacklist Guven, while others, mainly male groups, accused Bulutsuz of lying and charged Guven’s critics of lynching the actor with nothing yet proven. Melis Alphan, a journalist and a longtime advocate of women’s rights, faced a steady flow of online abuse when she tweeted that members of the film sector should stop working with Guven.
“When it is a man with power, fame and with fans, they rally to his side and insult the victim or anyone who supports her,” Alphan told Al-Monitor. “I used to advocate education to combat gender-based violence, but I can no longer say that — there is so much abuse against women in academia too.”
