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WHAT IS THIS CHALLENGE AND WHY ARE WE DOING THISA semi-comprehensive thread
#ChallengeAccepted
#WomenSupportingWomen
#IstanbulConventionsaveslives
This challenge has started in Turkey to press the government to actually enforce the Istanbul Convention which is the first-ever legally binding set of guidelines, signed by the EU and 45 states.
In Turkey many women are being terrorized by the men in their families, ex boyfriend or husbands, men they have rejected, or random stalkers who turn their lives into hell and the police and justice system just let it go by. All the women in my family have been domesticly abused.
We also have mysterious murder cases that have been closed as “suicides” to protect powerful men who have strong connections. When a woman is murdered or raped the justice system looks for anything that could be used against her and justify the offenders.
Here is a video of the mother of Nadira Kadirova(23), a domestic worker who was suspiciously found dead at the house of Şirin Ünal, AKP parliament member. saying “Şirin Ünal, you don’t have the right to live in this world, either. You killed my daughter.”
It was alleged that she committed suicide with Ăśnal's weapon. The post-mortem procedures of Kadirova were followed by Ăśnal's chauffeur and the procedures that usually take longer were completed in a few days.
#NadirayaNeOldu http://m.bianet.org/english/women/228138-mother-of-nadira-kadirova-sirin-unal-you-killed-my-daughter-my-angel
#NadirayaNeOldu http://m.bianet.org/english/women/228138-mother-of-nadira-kadirova-sirin-unal-you-killed-my-daughter-my-angel
And Gulistan Doku has been missing for 6 months. It is confirmed that she was detained by Zainal Abarakov, the
stepson of a police officer stationed in the city where Gulistan was lost, for two days right before her disappearance.
#GulistanDokuNerede
stepson of a police officer stationed in the city where Gulistan was lost, for two days right before her disappearance.
#GulistanDokuNerede
Figures released by We Will End Femicide Platform show that at least 474 women were murdered by men in Turkey in 2019. At least 134 were murdered by their husbands, and at least 292 were killed in their own homes.
United Nations found that 38 percent of Turkish women have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Estimates suggest that between 15 percent and 32 percent of Turkish girls are married before the age of 18.
In January, a law that would allow men accused of having sex with girls under 18 to avoid punishment if they marry their victims is set to be introduced to parliament in Turkey, which would leave victims vulnerable to experiencing additional abuse from their assailants.
While the legal age of consent is 18 in Turkey, a 2018 government report on child marriage estimates a total of 482,908 girls were married in the last decade. (These are the ones that are reported). Most of child marriages are arranged and forced.
This challenge started in Turkey after Pınar Gültekin was found five days after her disappearance in July 16th. Gültekin’s body was placed in a barrel, which was then burned and poured concrete on, in a forest by Cemal Metin Avcı, a married man with a kid. #pinarcakiricinadalet
Women were spreading her pictures in hopes to find her and finding out her murder was the last straw for us Turkish women. It could be us. We are being murdered every damn day. Here is a tweet of Pınar Gültekin bemoaning about anoter femicide in 2015. https://twitter.com/pinarrgultekinn/status/566771185770582016
This made us think. We have been sharing all these murdered or suspiciously lost women’s pictures in hopes to bring justice. Which picture of ours would be shared when we are next? This challenge has started between Turkish women to create awareness to this issue.
We also have been sharing the hashtag #istanbulsozlesmesiyasatir to inform every one that we need to press the government and justice system in Turkey to enforce the Istanbul Convention.
Read Istanbul Convention: https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/rms/090000168008482e
Summary: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/644183/EPRS_ATA(2019)644183_EN.pdf
Read Istanbul Convention: https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/rms/090000168008482e
Summary: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/644183/EPRS_ATA(2019)644183_EN.pdf
But here is a tweet long summary about what Istanbul Convention is.
Istanbul convention is focused on preventing domestic violence, protecting victims, and prosecuting accused offenders and creates a comprehensive legal approach to combat violence against women.
Istanbul convention is focused on preventing domestic violence, protecting victims, and prosecuting accused offenders and creates a comprehensive legal approach to combat violence against women.
In Turkey, activist women have been fighting for the cases of mysterious murders of women, in social media and in the field. After Pınar Gültekin’s murder protests by women faced police brutality and resulted in arrests.
Women’s march in March 8th International Women’s Day in Turkey also face police force every damn year. Look at the amount of cops. Why? This is just women trying to march for their rights.
Another video from March 8 Women’s March which resulted in numerous arrests.
Another video showing the brutality. Notice how a man grabs away the rainbow flag in the end of the video.
Violence against women is not solely a Turkish problem. One in three women in the EU has experienced physical and/or sexual violence. 75% of women in a professional job or in top management have experienced sexual harassment.
Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/644183/EPRS_ATA(2019)644183_EN.pdf
Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/644183/EPRS_ATA(2019)644183_EN.pdf
At this point it’s gonna be us women who will make noise and protect each other from patriarchy. I know some women are alienating other women of the world because they are different. No one seems to care what some women have to deal with in “the East” because “we are different.”
Question yourself and find out if you are unconsciously dehumanizing us “Eastern” women and if that makes it easier to ignore the oppression we face. I challenge you to think about this and spare 5 minutes of your time and read the Istanbul Convention for the love of women.
