Turkey’s first women’s shelter
By Jess McCabe | 30 June 2008, 15:28
Muslimah Media Watch points us to a really interesting feature on Turkish Daily News, about the first women’s shelter in Turkey. When was it established? The late 17th century.
The exact location of the world’s first women’s shelter is unknown, but historic data suggest that one was founded in the Ottoman capital of Istanbul in the late 17th century and remained in service until the mid-19th century. Ottoman women escaping from violence from their fathers or husbands took shelter in the Hatunlar or Hatuniye convents, also known as the Karılar dervish convent, where they learned various art forms and survived independent of men. About 100 women aged between 16 and 80 lived in the Hatuniye shelter.
I’ve got to admit that I was guilty of thinking women’s shelters were a 20th century, western European invention. The more I learn, the worse educated I feel (although apparently I’m not the only one under this misconception).
“I am not an advocate of women rights,” said Sedes, but she was impressed by the existence of such an organization centuries ago. “There is a misperception that everything starts in the West. But we see that the Ottomans also had similar institutions. The difference between the West and us is that we do not know how to claim our historical heritage,” she said.
Have your say
In order to keep this blog as a feminist and friendly space, comments will be subject to some rules. We do not seek to censor debate: the beauty of the internet is that anyone can set up their own blog or website to express their views.
- This blog is a safe and friendly space for feminists and feminist allies. Debate and critique are welcome where it is constructive and deepens analysis or understanding. Anti-feminist comments will not be approved. We get to decide what's anti-feminist.
- All comments must be approved by one of the bloggers. For this reason, there may be a delay before your comment appears.
- No sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, classist, ablist comments, comments which make personal attacks on any blogger or commenter, or comments that are otherwise deemed offensive by us will be posted.
- Trolls will be banned from commenting. We get to decide who is a troll.
- No anonymous comments - please feel free to use your real name or make one up, though.
- Be nice.
Feeds
zohra said:
So maybe the title of this post should be 'world's first women's shelter - was in Turkey', 'cause otherwise it sounds like the post is about Turkey's first women's shelter. If you see what I mean.
I'm sad that there was a need in the 17th century too.
Posted on 30 June 2008 at 11:17 PM
Jess McCabe said:
Yeah, except I have no idea if that really was the first women's shelter... ! The story only says it was the first in Turkey, so perhaps there were others, too?
Posted on June 30, 2008 11:25 PM
Molly said:
"“I am not an advocate of women rights,” said Sedes, but she [etc]"
How a woman can say that---I mean, I know this is my cultural privilege speaking, but I just cannot imagine saying that I am "not an advocate" of women's rights.
I suppose we (in the States) have Log Cabin Republicans and Jews for Jesus, but still, it just blows my mind.
Posted on 01 July 2008 at 12:43 AM
Rumbold said:
In Catholic Europe women tended to shelter in nunneries, as many of them were off limits to men. However, some women were never completly safe, as if the people pursuing her had sufficent troops, they could seize her by force. Unless the nunnery was patronised by someone very important, which tended to put would-be attackers off. Nunneries were also used to imprison women who had got pregnant and/or had an affair, so that the family concerned wouldn't be shamed by having them in the public eye.
Posted on 02 July 2008 at 11:47 AM
Tom said:
So,
I read the title and thought that only now Turkey had gotten round to building a womens shelter. I am slightly impressed that the late 1600's Ottaman caliphate allowed this, this being the time that the Ottomans went through a serious religious revival (similar to the Southern baptists in the US in the mid 90's). You don't normally associate 17th century Islamic fundementalism with the promotion of freedom for women from abusive relationships.
Posted on 20 July 2008 at 4:21 PM