07.11.2026 20:32
Actress Elit Andaç Çam shared her personal experiences regarding the safety concerns women experience on the streets of Istanbul. Stating that even a behavior that might seem ordinary in daily life makes her uneasy, Çam explained that even when a stranger man asks her a simple question about the time while she is walking alone, she approaches it cautiously.
Actress Elit Andaç Çam discussed the safety concerns that come with being a woman in Istanbul. Saying that she approaches men cautiously who ask her for the time on a street where she is alone, Çam expressed the unease she experiences with the words, “I shout ‘No’ at anyone who asks me for the time.”
Actress Elit Andaç Çam, known for the character Çağla she played in the TV series Bahar, drew attention with her statements about the difficulties of being a woman in Istanbul. Stating that she does not always feel safe in the city, the actress described the unease she experiences especially when she encounters men she does not know on the street.
“ISTANBUL IS A RATHER FRIGHTENING CITY”
Expressing that she thinks Istanbul is not a safe city for women, Çam said that the feeling of insecurity she experiences on the street changes her behavior.
The actress said, “For me, Istanbul is a rather frightening city. I don’t think it is a very safe city. The moment that feeling of insecurity comes, I feel as if I need to harden. That is also where all the sex appeal disappears.”
“THE CHANCE THAT A MAN ASKING FOR THE TIME DOES NOT HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS IS VERY HIGH”
Comparing the situations she encounters on the street in Europe and Turkey, Çam stated that even a man asking her for the time while she is walking alone is something she evaluates with safety concerns.
Çam said, “In Europe, if someone comes up on the street and asks for the time, you don’t get very scared. But here, on a street where I am alone, the chance that a man asking me for the time does not have good intentions is very high.”
Also touching on women’s need to feel safe on the street, the actress argued that men also need to show awareness on this issue.
“I SHOUT ‘NO’ AT ANYONE WHO ASKS ME FOR THE TIME”
Stating that a well-intentioned man should approach by understanding the unease women experience on the street, Çam described her own reaction in these words:
“A good man does not ask there. He also knows that in Turkey a woman wants to feel safe on the street. That is why I shout ‘No’ at anyone who asks me for the time.”
The actress’s remarks about women’s safety concerns in Istanbul drew attention.