Even though women's rights organisations agree that Turkey's Family Law number 4320 protects women from violence on paper, victims of violence themselves generally avoid complaint.
Both mass circulation and local Turkish newspapers have recently been covering increases in the number of women committing suicide with growing suggestions that rather than have their husbands punished in public trials or face more abuse themselves, a number of women in the country are choosing to end their own lives. In many regions domestic violence is listed among the top reasons for suicide, illness and addictions.
Ankara Bar Association Women's Rights Council President Attorney Munise Dayi says there are three reasons that female victims of domestic violence succumb to abuse at home: Patriarchal relations, their economic weakness and lack of education.
Abide Necla Olcer from Mersin's Independent Women Association and Tulin Ozler from the Aegean Women's Solidarity Foundation (EKDAV) share Dayi's views on why most Turkish women appear to tolerate domestic violence, noting that only when they came face to face with death are they actually making complaints.
Dayi: Economic independence very important
Dayi believes that Turkey's Family Law 4320 protects women against violence but adds, "a woman who is going to make a complaint should have economic independence. I know many women who tolerate being beaten up because they are scared of going hungry. If a woman believes that she can be protected when subjected to violence, she can complain".
Dayi also notes that women don't complain against violence in fear that their children will be taken away from them and stresses that that it is a necessity of a social state to have the proper mechanisms in force to protect women in every way.
"Women subjected to violence do not have self confidence" she explains. "Because of this they do not use their rights. If economic opportunities are given for the women to start their lives over again, if conditions are there for them to live together with their children, why should women tolerate violence at all?"
Olçer: Fighting a windmill
Abide Necla Olcer from Mersin's Independent Women Association explained to Bianet that they are conducting a campaign related to Law 4320 in the city and believes, herself, that women would stand up against torture if they knew their rights.
Olcer says Mersin itself is a city receiving so much migration from other parts of the country that "leave alone demanding their rights against violence, women don't even leave their homes".
"Because of this," she explains "we have decided to go to the women who do not come to us and we submitted a project to the Women Initiatives Association (KAGIDER). If this project is approved, together with lawyers, we will start educating them both on Family Law 4320 and their legal rights against violence in groups of 15".
She adds, however, that the state itself has as much responsibility in educating women as do women organisations and says that despite their economic difficulties, the work of women organisations needs to be praised. In her view "women organisations are fighting a windmill".
Ozler: Complaint only at last point
EKDAV's Ozler, on the other hand, agrees that educating women such as in Mersin is important but stresses that the media has greater duties in fighting domestic violence too. According to her, "both in television serials and films as well as with various programs, women rights can be explained. Women can also be reached out to with art."
Referring to a campaign launched recently by the mass circulation Turkish daily Hurriyet against domestic violence, Olcer said she and her organisation would support this campaign. Using mobile buses that would travel in Izmir city and its outskirts the group is determined to visit all neighbourhoods and educate residents on their legal rights and domestic violence. EKDAV intends to reach out to over 5,000 women this way.
Ozler believes that an increase in positive examples for women on domestic violence issues will equally increase the number of complaints while at the time being women only appear to complain at the very last point.
Yet, with education and campaigns, Ozler noted that because the situation is much related to the traditional structure and values in Turkey, a change will take time and will also need to involve a more comprehensive approach including, even, a curriculum at elementary schools that will cover discrimination and positive discrimination.
"Changing the traditional structure is a long term issue" she says. "Just saying it has changed does not mean a change or transformation. If we think that half of Turkey's 70 million population is women, reaching out to 35 million women is very difficult. The media must work really seriously in this area. Of course unions and heath workers too." (AD/EZO/TK/II/YE)
