Female Subordination in Turkey by Selin Andiç

If George Orwell lived in this day and age, he might have described the situation in  my country like this: “All Turkish people are equal, but men are more equal than women.”  Regardless of age, the principal challenges girls and women in Turkey face are fundamental  human rights: to live, to get an education, to start a family of their choice, and to make a  living through a profession. 

It is disheartening to read daily headlines in Turkish mainstream media. The majority  of stories illustrate the reality of abuse in which the protagonists are victims of rape, domestic  violence, and horrible femicides. Every day a substantial number of women are injured or  killed because they are beaten, detained, or tortured. According to the Turkish Statistical  Institute (TUİK), 40% of women face domestic violence from masculine figures such as their  fathers, brothers, husbands, or relatives. Many women try to take refuge in police stations and  shelters; however, protection regulations usually fail to secure them. Despite court justified  restraint orders, violators continue to harass women. ‘‘ We Will Stop Femicides’’ platform  has announced that only in 2021, there were 280 femicides and 217 suspicious deaths  documented. Some non-profit women organizations blame the entire justice system, known to  be dominated mainly by men, and many of the crimes committed against women go  unpunished because of insufficient introspection. Although Turkey was the first country to  ratify and sign the Istanbul Convention to combat women against violence, they withdrew on  29 June 2022. This decision shows an acceptance of violence against women’s lives and  rights. Many women seek protection from people in power; however, the government ignores  their cry for help. 

There is an educational gap between women and men; two-thirds of illiterate adults in  Turkey are female. According to our cultural beliefs, a girl’s role is to complete household  chores and take care of her siblings, and eventually be a good housewife. For this reason, 

although 12-year education is compulsory for all Turkish children from 6 to 17 years of age in  Turkey, a vast majority of girls living in Eastern Anatolia are forced to drop out after primary  school. Fathers of these little girls believe that they do not need education as they will marry a  

man who will care for them and mothers do not have a say in these decisions. Little girls  become brides even before they reach puberty, which explains Turkey’s number one ranking  in child brides across Europe. Girls are forced to become wives, even mothers as soon as they  are physically ready to bear a child. They become dependent on their male partner socially  and economically, which limits any personal choice they might want to make about their  “own” lives. This dependency hinders these women’s wish to walk away from the marriage,  protect themselves from their perpetrators, build a life of their own, or pursue an education or  professional career. 

The subordination, inequality, and injustice are evident; however, the necessary  resources to battle violence against women are inadequate and at worst impotent. Efficacy is  crucial in helping these women. Women are hurt both physically and psychologically.  Additional support is necessary for the aftermath of these incidents. Free counseling services  such as PTSD therapy techniques can be readily available for victims for them to work  through their trauma and build the necessary confidence to not go through this over and over  again. Sadly, most women return to their perpetrators if the incident is not fatal. The severity  of sentences needs to be increased and pleading guilty should not lighten it. There should be a  specific prison term for violence against women, which will make perpetrators rethink their  actions. Men’s perspective of women and traditional gender roles needs to undergo  reconstruction. At the macro level, our educational and judicial system require remodeling,  and at the micro-level, men must learn to respect and value women. Precautions can save  many lives; however, we only talk about resolutions since the government fails its foremost  responsibility; protecting its citizens.

The past cannot be unperformed, but there is always hope for changing the future. Neil  Armstrong’s first step on the moon was a small one for him, but a giant step for mankind. In  the same way, any step we take towards improving female rights will be a monumental leap in  protecting women’s rights and gender equality.