Sihing Egemen Baranok Blog and FAQ

An intelligent discipline community initiative

For decades, Turkish women have had the right to vote, access to education, the right to divorce. Turks even elected a female prime minister in 1993. But there is still a long ways to go. A recent report by Amnesty International estimated that a third of Turkish women are victims of domestic violence. One prominent Turkish Islamic scholar recently advised women to study the martial arts: “I wish women would take karate, taekwondo or judo courses,” he said. “If he hits once, she should hit him twice.” We agree with his sentiment — we believe that a woman properly trained in the martial arts will be better equipped to deter violence and defuse conflict even before it comes to this stage. But we are not sure that he meant this sincerely. After all, what opportunities exist in Turkey for women to learn a martial art, and what happens to them when they try?