Many women killed in front of courts where they seek justice!

300 women were killed by men in 2020 in Turkey, according to the report prepared by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform. The death of 171 women was recorded as suspicious deaths. In this process, the files of many suspicious deaths of women, who were killed on the ground that, “She committed suicide, she was depressed”, “We were joking with each other, she fell down”, have been wanted to be closed. If the Istanbul Convention had been implemented, they would be alive now. Many women killed in front of courts where they seek justice! While this convention protecting women hasn’t been implemented properly, now the abolishment of the convention is on the agenda in Turkey.

EKİM ZEYNEP YAĞMUR

Ankara- This year, while women struggle with the global COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world, they also struggle with violence against women increasing due to the pandemic and the attacks on Act No. 6284, the Family and Prevent Violence against Women and the Istanbul Convention, which have an important place in the prevention of this violence. Violence against women is a social problem all around the world for this reasons it is directly linked to many international and national structures and mechanisms to prevent it.

The Istanbul Convention, “the Council of Europe's Convention on Prevention of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” was opened for signature on 11 May 2011 and it is considered as the most important international convention to prevent violence against women. In 2012, Turkey adopted “Law No. 6284 to Protect Family and Prevent Violence Against Women,” prepared in parallel with the Istanbul Convention. Law No. 6284 is the most effective legal mechanism used by women to demand protection.

However, the increase in the rate of violence against women and femicide, every day clearly shows that the measures are insufficient. According to a survey on Domestic Violence Against Women in Turkey; 44% of women do not share violence against them with anyone, and 89% of women do not apply to any organizations to prevent the violence against them and to get the necessary support.

The majority of women are afraid, ashamed to speak up about violence against them because they believe that abusive men can change, that they will lose their children. At this point, removing barriers to individuals' access to the social services they need, comprehensive and effective social services are seen as an indispensable need in preventing violence against women.

The economic crisis becomes worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the existing gender inequality also becomes worse but unfortunately, no measure has been taken to prevent violence against women. There are no sufficient women’s shelters, law enforcement officers, who are authorized to issue a protection order, don’t do their duties. For these reasons, hundreds of women were killed.

Law No. 6284 includes;

The protective cautionary decisions to be taken by the civilian authority

-  To provide an appropriate shelter to the person and if necessary to the person’s children in the vicinity or in some other location.

-  Temporary protection upon a request of the relevant person or ex officio if there is a life-threatening danger for the person.

-  To provide financial aid to the person, without prejudice to other assistances provided within the scope of other laws.

The preventive cautionary decisions to be taken by the judge

-  Not to approach the protected persons and their residences, schools, and workplaces

-  Not to cause distress to the protected person by means of communication instruments or alternative channels

-   Not to use alcohol, drugs, or stimulants in places where the protected people are present or not to approach the protected people and whereabouts while under the influence of these substances and to ensure to have a medical examination and treatment including in-patient treatment in case of the addiction.

-   If deemed necessary, in addition to the cautionary decision, the identification information of the protected person or other family members or the information to reveal their identification, their addresses, and the other information important for the efficiency of protection shall be kept confidential within records upon a request or ex officio.

-  To hand over the weapon to the employing institution, even if the person is in a profession of public service that requires carrying a weapon.

-  To put an annotation to the title deed as a family house if the conditions are applicable as contained within the Turkish Civil Code no.4721 dated 22/11/2001 and upon the request of the protected person.

-  To decide on temporary alimony by taking into consideration the living standards of the victim.

-  To change the identification and other related information and documents based on the informed consent of the relevant person as per the provisions of the Witness Protection Law No. 5726 dated 27/12/2007 if it is determined that there is a life-threatening danger for the protected person and the measures to prevent this danger are inadequate.

Report prepared by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)

Report prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Society at a Glance 2019 by OECD

UN Women’s flagship report, “Progress of the world’s women 2019–2020: Families in a changing world”

Data by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

UN Women’s “Violence against women and girls: the shadow pandemic” report

Report prepared by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform

Report prepared by the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States

The Vienna Declaration on Femicide in 2012