Gender Injustice and Femicide in Türkiye
Every year in Türkiye, hundreds of women lose their lives due to men. These numbers and rates have gone up over the years. Most people believe that countries should develop over the years, with a better understanding of technology and human rights. However, it looks like Türkiye is taking steps backwards when it comes to equality between genders and differences in class. In the news, we face multiple femicide cases, and each day, these cases continue to increase. I wanted to write about femicide because it is such a deep topic that deserves much more attention. In my article, I will explain and support my claims about femicide with reliable evidence.
In Türkiye, we can see that women are not treated the way men are. The Economic Police Institute validates the fact that women are placed in lower positions in jobs, given orders, and always subjugated. Most femicides occur because of these social norms, gender inequality, and stereotypes that exist in our society. UN Women states that in 2023, a woman is deliberately killed by a partner or family member approximately every 10 minutes. Of course, these are universal problems, but these seem to happen more often in Türkiye.
In 2021, Türkiye withdrew from the Istanbul Convention. Istanbul Convention's first article states that the purposes of the convention are to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence, which caused women and girls to lose their rights to protect themselves when it comes to violence. This is one of the main reasons why femicide rates increased in Türkiye. This withdrawal also shows that Türkiye has not been paying attention to social rights and how women are treated. The Middle East Institute indicates that these policies honor the role of women as "housewives" and "mothers." These roles give women more rights, but the government is threatened by the effects of women's empowerment on the family; which is why the government withdrew from the convention.
Femicides mostly happen domestically. According to the Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu, in 2024, 280 women were killed by the man they were married to, their father, son, or a relative. KCDP also states that in 2024, 197 of the women killed were married and 81 were single. The Australian Institute of Criminology writes, "A woman is more likely than a man to be killed at home." The reason for this is that women are likely to spend more time at home and tend to be more dependent on their intimate partner during their marriage, which increases the risk of violence. Wikipedia states that men's violence can come from feelings such as jealousy, threats, or control attempts. According to a research article by the International Institute of Social Studies, these feelings occur in men because men who use violence against their partners have psychopathy scores higher than women. This means that their anger management and coping skills result in violence. Women's Safety Platform recommends helping people control their anger and implementing laws to end femicide. Even though femicides occur by intimate partners, many women are blamed for their own deaths. These accusations deepen systemic gender inequality.
As the next generation, we have our duties. We have to fight these social norms and prove that everyone has the same rights, despite our gender. To raise awareness about femicides, students can organize events, hold courses, or create educational programs. This way, students can get a better understanding of our country's situation.
In conclusion, femicide cases are in a constant loop, and no matter the protests, no action is taken. Turkey is in a critical situation when it comes to gender inequality and class differences. We have to take action against these crimes and make things right. Women are not different from men; they all have the same human rights. We are all equal and human.
