Since Sarai Sierra’s disappearance on Jan. 21 in Istanbul, some Turks in the media and on Twitter have not only blamed the 33-year-old mother from New York City for her own murder, but have also questioned what she was doing traveling alone in Istanbul. They speculated whether she was a drug courier, a trafficker or perhaps a spy.

The unfortunate death of this young woman is tragic, but the reaction by some segments of Turkish society — inward looking and in denial of the basic facts — is also regrettable. Despite Turks pride in their country, and its emerging role on the international stage, it seems not to have crossed their minds that a foreign woman might travel to Istanbul alone simply because it is one of the world’s most beautiful and historic cities. The perception that women are or should be inferior to men, and the insecurity this breeds among men when this view is challenged, serves to feed impulses that interpret events in a negative light and hurts Turkey’s image.

Members of Sierra’s family have not expressed any anger toward Turkey or the Turkish people. On the contrary, her husband and brother have voiced their appreciation for the attention given to finding her. Her mother has been the most amazing of all. “Even though I wanted to see my daughter alive, at least we have closure,” said Betzaida Jimenez. “At least they found her. There are still people waiting for their loved ones who haven’t been found.”

Rather than being horrified by Sierra’s murder, nervous Turks seemed more concerned that the American media’s focus on her case would make their country look bad. Thankfully, in contrast, this attitude also encouraged another segment of the population to try to turn the tragedy into a moment in which to help raise awareness of the challenges facing Turkish women.