Getting Used to Femicides by Asya Tanyılmaz

280 women were murdered in 2021 in Turkey by men and 217 deaths were found suspicious, according to the report of We Will Stop Femicides Platform.1 Every time we look at the news, we learn that another woman was murdered that day. Although we get frustrated, we don’t get shocked. The thought of us getting used to femicides is horrifying. How can a woman feel safe walking home alone at night, in an environment like this? 

Every time I see a picture of a woman in black and white, I immediately assume that she is dead. Then my mind goes to my posts on Instagram. Which one would look better in black and white? This question comes to my mind when I should be thinking about which photo I should choose for my profile photo, just like any other young woman my age. However, this is the reality of most women living in Turkey, constantly worrying about their safety. 

Even though I am privileged enough to feel secure most of the time in the environment I am living in, the case is not so for most women in Turkey. They must live with the fact that they might get murdered that day by their crazy exes or some random guy with a knife, and that the murderer can get away with it by using excuses like losing their temper, or by only wearing a “tie” at court. The question we should be asking is: How can they be so sure that they can get away with violence, rape, and even murder? The answer is simple. They see other people who committed the same crimes getting away with it, so why wouldn't they? Hundreds of women have been murdered to date despite their countless requests for restraining orders. Even if they have managed to get restraining orders, they still got murdered. Neither the state, the police nor other institutions could protect them. Whom can women trust if they cannot trust the police or the justice system? 

Domestic violence against women and femicides are increasing at an incredible rate in Turkey. The reasons behind this terrible situation are lack of awareness of gender equality, the conservative sociological structure of Turkey and the lack of legislation to protect women, leading to the broken justice system. On March 20, 2021, Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The government stated that the reason behind the withdrawal was that the Convention was “normalizing homosexuality”, and was incompatible with Turkey’s “social and family values”. This was considered a huge disappointment by the Council of Europe members. Despite the protests made both domestically and internationally, the government did not step back from their decision. After that, the situation only worsened. 

Has Turkey always been this way? The answer is no. In fact, Turkish women were given the right to vote before many European countries, including France and Switzerland. We have seen things change before, so why wouldn’t they change again if we take the necessary steps? The important thing is not to lose hope. Women around the world have struggled and fought against patriarchy to gain their fundamental rights in history. None of them doubted a second that they would win. Neither should we. In my opinion, lack of knowledge and awareness is the main obstacle to solving the issue. Thus, young women and families, as well as educators, should be educated more on the topic of gender equality, and girls must be informed about their fundamental rights. The government should implement policies to empower women in every aspect. Only this way can we eradicate the internalized misogyny existing in our society. 

I do not want to look at every single man walking past me as my potential murderer or rapist when I am wearing a mini skirt on public transport or walking home alone at night. I do not want to rely on a man to protect me from danger. I do not want to not get shocked when I hear a woman getting brutally murdered and her murderer getting away with it. Neither do any women living in this country. Therefore, the current system must be changed. We, as young women living in this country, will be that change.