Gökhan Altıner writes..."Femicide: A Harsh Reality That Must Be Confronted"

The word "femicide" itself is chilling. "Murder" is a chilling word. No one wants to read such news during these summer days. It's repulsive, it makes people tense, but we have to face the reality and raise awareness. The news of a murder-suicide a few days ago once again sent shivers down our spines. The man was a butcher, and he had children. He killed his girlfriend and then committed suicide. Another woman, a vulnerable woman, was killed, and her life was lost. The state is failing in protecting women. We've written about this multiple times. It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Unfortunately, there has been no statement from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. In our country, hundreds of women and children face violence and harassment. The state can only protect a very small fraction of these individuals. There is a shortage of personnel and resources in this regard. We have written many times that there needs to be a Ministry of Family and these matters should be taken more seriously.

The situation is frightening.

When you search the internet for femicide statistics, you find scattered information and very limited statistics. For instance, in 2017, five women were murdered one after another. Between 2010 and 2017, a total of 16 women were killed in femicides, along with eight cases of suicide.

The killers of the 16 women also took their own lives shortly after the incidents. In 2010, 26-year-old Mehmet Kaşık, who brutally stabbed 18-year-old G.B., committed suicide by cutting his own throat right after the murder.

In 2012, in Mağusa, Mehmet Narlı, who had broken into his former lover I.S.'s workplace, shot the young woman with a hunting rifle and then committed suicide.

In another incident in Gönyeli in 2013, Ahmet Şevketoğlu shot his wife Aşkın Şevketoğlu with a gun and then shot himself.

In 2014, Hüseyin Selçuk Öksüzoğluları shot 35-year-old F.S. in the middle of the street in Gönyeli and then shot himself.

In 2015, O.K., a Russian woman, was brutally stabbed by her husband and left in the forest in Alevkayası. The husband fled to his home country and committed suicide there.

In June 2017, Kemal Yalçın, a police officer, shot and killed his wife with a gun in Tatlısu and then shot himself.

In a femicide case in Maraş, Hayrettin Özcömert shot and killed Halime Çetin with a hunting rifle and then shot himself.

According to statistics from 2020, a total of 23 women were killed in femicides between 2010 and 2020. One occurred in 2010, two in 2011, one in 2012, one in 2013, three in 2014, two in 2015, two in 2016, five in 2017, three in 2018, two in 2019, and one in 2020.

In 17 years, 83 murders took place, resulting in the deaths of 35 women. In these murders, the killers of one woman remain unknown. Many women were killed for various reasons, with the majority of cases involving firearms and knives. Fourteen of these crimes happened between spouses, leaving numerous children without parents. Additionally, four women were killed by their fiancés. Besides women murdered by their partners or lovers, there are also cases of women being killed by their own children.

Considering that husbands resort to killing their wives out of jealousy or severe incompatibility, it highlights the fact that a significant portion of society requires psychological care and medication, possibly suffering from mental health issues. On the other hand, the Greek Cypriot side (south Cyprus) has witnessed 24 femicides between 2015 and 2019.

Types and Rates of Violence

In 2012, a face-to-face survey was conducted with approximately a thousand married women, which revealed the harsh realities.

First, the study asked participants what kind of violence came to mind when they heard "domestic violence." Predictably, physical violence was the most commonly associated form.

Here are the types of violence participants associated with domestic violence:

• Physical violence: 61.4%
• Psychological violence: 43.1%
• Economic violence: 37.7%
• Restricting freedom: 34.9%
• Sexual violence: 20.6%

What we find in newspaper pages and occasional surveys only reveal the tip of the iceberg. It is safe to say that these statistics only provide a glimpse into the depths of a larger problem.

Imagine husbands killing their spouses out of jealousy or extreme incompatibility. The fact that individuals resort to such extreme measures underscores not only the psychological distress but also the need for mental care and medication for a significant segment of our society. On the Greek Cypriot side, between 2015 and 2019, 24 women fell victim to femicide.

Quote of the Day

"Life cannot afford to miss you. If it can, let it live to the fullest." - Nazım Hikmet