Diversity

Are women nothing but figures in “murder statistics”?

22 February 2015

As the original texts are written in Turkish, English translation is provided for non-Turkish readers. The author apologizes in advance for any and all possible changes and losses in meaning due to translation.

In my postdated 25 July 2014, I had given statistical information on femicides and stated my anger on this issue. Let me remind you my words: “There is not a single week, or even a day, that a woman is not abused and killed in our country. 139 women were killed in the first 6 months of 2014.” (Where are the authorities as women get killed?) Unfortunately, the situation is even worse today. And my sadness grows, as does my anger. We, as a society, have to solve this problem. But how?

As in every problem, the first step to solution is education. I don’t mean formal education. The starting point should be the family training and perception created within the family. Once we consider, evaluate and thus value “boys” differently from “girls”, unfortunately we cause the problem to become deeper and deeper. As parents or adults, we have to teach children that people cannot be treated differently because of their gender or other qualities. If we can succeed in this training within the family and if our children see the same perspective at school, we can overcome this problem. However, this is medium and long-term solution. How about the short-term? Shall we let this go on as it is? Of course not. Here, I would like to reshare my blog post of 25 July:

“I’m angry. There is not a single week, or even a day, that a woman is not abused and killed in our country. 139 women were killed in the first 6 months of 2014.

The number of women killed by men was 18 in June alone.

I’m angry because families, friends, neighbors, in short, the society neither show any interest in this issue nor react to even the slightest suspicion of violence against women. Nowhere in the world can we expect or hope for any government to solve all problems. The solution to such problems should come from us as responsible individuals. Those who do not take action risk ill-treatment to their daughters, sisters, mothers, or spouses as well. There are, of course, more important and urgent issues in our country and in the world, but this is also critical. As members of this society, we act as if we are not responsible for this situation and say, “I have my own problems, what can I do?” Yet this is the problem of all of us. We must act.

It would be horrible for people in our country to get used to this, as if it is normal or not important. Sometimes just a phone call pays off, please let’s be responsible:

183 – (Social Services Hotline for Family, Women, Children, and Disabled)

Domestic Violence Emergency Hotline – 0212 656 96 96”

What else can we do? We can speak up. Let’s support the initiatives on this issue and say it loud on every occasion that every human being has the same right to live. It is the duty of all of us to get erase this shame.

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