Do women get hassled a lot?
Yes and no. It depends on where you are, how you dress and how you behave. If you walk into a poor, conservative area wearing shorts and a bikini top, then expect the worst; otherwise you may get some unwelcome attention, but no serious hassle. Avoid magandas — men with moustaches, open shirts and lotts of gold jewellery — as they consider it a point of honour to sexually harass as many women as possible. Generally, though, harassment is purely verbal, and most women I have talked to say they feel safer here than back home. Basically, it’s like Italy, but with less bottom-pinching. Remember that if a man is staring at you, it’s probably as much because you’re foreign as because you’re female, and remember that Turkish culture is very “touchy-feely” – not all physical contact has sexual intentions.
