Violence Against Women and Femicides in Turkey

Abstract

Women are exposed to many types of violence such as physical, economic and psychological violence all over the world. The women in Turkey also take their shares from this exposure and this problem is extremely painful, threatening and unpreventable. The topic of violence against women is included in literature as the research subject of many disciplines recent years however it is considered as violation of fundamental human rights that manintains its importance but cannot be prevented easily. It is tried to focus on, explain and evaluate the violence against women and femicides, unequal power relations between men and women, status of women in society and the interaction with patriarchal structure in Turkey in this study. This explanation and evaluation is made according to the statistics of gender mainstreaming, violence against women and femicides in Turkey and the reasons of violence against women and femicides. According to this evaluation, the women in Turkey generally exposed to violence by familiar people, especially by their partners and/or other men in the parent. In addition to physical violence, sexual violence is the most common type of violence and the impact of the general perspective of society and public organizations on women and the hierarchical relationship between men and women on violence should be considered in the evaluation of violence fact. The case of femicide is also underwhelming. There is a significant increase in femicides since 2008 until today in Turkey. ‘Taking decision by woman for her own life’ and ‘claiming divorcement’ are the most common reasons given by offenders to kill women and these reasons prove that the patriarchal system in Turkey does not consider woman as an individual and subordinates women. The idea of taking decision by woman for her their own lives and claiming for divorcement is perceived as a rebellion to power of men, a disengagement from dominance field of men and a failure of power of men. Men are strong and brave who bring home the bacon, save the honor of family, establish dominance on partner and children and commit violence when required to ensure this dominance and femicide is also included in this violence.