“Digital Vulnerability” Project Receives TÜBİTAK 3005 Funding

Bringing together the fields of sociology, digital communication, law, and social work, the project focuses on how women's experiences of digital violence are shaped by different geographical and cultural contexts. It will examine the privacy violations, digital harassment, cyberbullying, and online violence that women encounter when using social media. To this end, in-depth interviews will be conducted with a total of 100 women aged 18 and over in Istanbul, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, and Diyarbakır, exploring digital risks, strategies for protection, and the role of families in addressing these challenges.

The 24-month project brings together a multidisciplinary research team comprising Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay from Üsküdar University, Prof. Dr. Zuhal Akmeşe from Dicle University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rengim Sine Nazlı from Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azize Aslıhan Nişancı from Marmara University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nevin Yıldız from Hacettepe University, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Batu Duru from Hasan Kalyoncu University. Prof. Dr. Yeliz Bozkurt Gümrükçüoğlu, a faculty member at our Faculty of Law, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Gülerce from Marmara University will also contribute to the project as advisors. Sıla Türköne, a PhD student in the Sociology program at our university, is participating in the project as a scholarship recipient.

The project will also produce academic publications and policy recommendations aimed at combating digital violence. The guide developed as part of the research will be shared with relevant public institutions, Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centres (ŞÖNİM), and civil society organisations. The research findings will also be presented to relevant stakeholders at a workshop hosted by Ibn Haldun University.

By promoting women's safe participation in digital environments, raising families' awareness of digital safety, and strengthening policies against digital violence through evidence-based research, the project is expected to make a meaningful contribution to addressing these challenges. It also aims to further enhance our university's capacity for interdisciplinary research and academic collaboration in tackling pressing societal issues. We congratulate Asst. Prof. Dr. Rahime Arzu ÜNAL and the entire project team on this significant achievement and wish them continued success in their research.