Turkey: CFWIJ Condemns The Gender-Based Attacks Against Sports Presenter Hande Sarioğlu
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: February 13, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Habertürk sports presenter Hande Sarıoğlu had to resign as a result of the pressure she faced after the dance video she shared on her social media. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the media outlets that target Hande and share the news with sexist messages against her. We demand Habertürk respect the private life of its employees.
Sports presenter Hande Sarıoğlu resigned from the news outlet, Habertürk, due to the video she shared on her social media account. The video became viral and Hande was targeted with misogynic attacks by the trolls and the news outlets which published misinformation about her leave from Habertürk.
She made a statement about the allegations on social media which many news organizations placed. Hande, who became the target of many gender-based attacks on social media, said she resigned from the news channel that she was working for a long time.
She said, "Yes, every corporation may have its own rules; and yes, I may have acted against the principles of this organisation. Without further ado, I said to myself 'Let me resign first, before nobody fires me',” “I stopped and asked myself, 'Are they uncomfortable with my dance?' They faced many storms without a doubt but they couldn’t manage how to deal with my dance video. I resigned in order not to disturb anymore,” she added. After the wave of allegations revealed in many news organisations, Hande became the target of many sexist, misogynic attacks and hate speech on social media.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the gender-based attacks against women journalists. No media worker is obliged to conform to the established gender roles in female society. Therefore, it is unacceptable to be attacked and forced for a resignation. We call on Habertürk officials to apologize to Hande. We hope that Hande will be given the status she deserves and shall not face future misogynic attacks.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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