Klestan Aziz

Shingal – Hardly a day passes without news of the killing of women and the violations committed against them. The capitalist system that has existed for years is waging systematic attacks against them. These attacks are not only physical but also intellectual and ideological. In any war or conflict that breaks out between dominant male forces, women and children are the primary targets.

Many do not see these truths, and those who see them may interpret them, consciously or unconsciously, incorrectly. What is the purpose of these massacres against women? Is it a coincidence that the man is always the killer and the woman the victim? To what extent does women's struggle reduce these crimes? And what should true women's struggle look like?

To find answers to these questions, our agency held the following dialogue with Sara Botan, a member of the Jinology Academy (the science of women) in Shingal.

There are multiple forms of attacks against women, and with capitalist modernity, the methods and forms of these attacks have become more complex. In your opinion, what is the purpose of the genocide committed against women?

For centuries, women have been subjected to attacks, not only within Yazidi or Kurdish society but throughout the world. One of the goals of these genocides is to eliminate society and its values. I am struck here by the words of leader Abdullah Öcalan: "If someone wants to destroy a society, they begin by targeting women." What the Yazidis suffered during the ISIS attack proved that. We Yazidi women lived through this tragedy. During the 2014 massacre, women were the most targeted. They were killed, kidnapped, and enslaved. They wanted to destroy our culture, beliefs, and history.

Women are the ones who lead society, organize it, push it forward, preserve its culture, and unite it around itself. Therefore, by targeting women, they want to eliminate this social cohesion.

Who are the enemies of women, and why are they targeted everywhere and in every field?

Ancient societies that were centered around women did not know bloodshed, genocide, and killing, because the collective interest was the foundation, and protection was carried out according to that principle. Today, however, the state works only for its own interests and its continued existence, exploiting societies for that purpose. Because of women's decisive role within society, the system attacks women because it does not want a return to the true societal essence.

What is happening today in the Third World War raging in the Middle East clearly shows how state policies target peoples and societies.

How are these attacks carried out, and what methods are used? Why are psychological attacks more dangerous than physical ones, and why are women specifically targeted?

In addition to physical violence, women are subjected to intellectual and psychological attacks, which are the most dangerous because they directly target women's consciousness and inner depth. These attacks do not stop at external pressure; they infiltrate society itself, reshaping women's self‑perception and weakening their self‑confidence.

Through this penetration, women are pushed toward self‑harm, withdrawal from public life, or forced distance from society. When women are prevented from naturally integrating with their surroundings and are besieged by society instead of embraced, the first stages of isolation and disintegration begin, harming both women and society together. By these methods, women are uprooted from their human essence and pushed away from their ability to act and influence.

Yazidi women are still suffering from deep psychological effects left by the massacres they endured. To this day, they are still suffering from the consequences of that experience, which drives many of them to withdraw from life or lose the desire to continue. When a woman reaches this stage of collapse, the path is paved for physical attacks as well.

At the Jinology Academy in Shingal, we work to restore Yazidi women to their essence and revive their shared, peaceful lives through continuous struggle. We seek to remove the effects of the massacre from within society and stand by women in facing their current problems, so that they can regain their strength and role.

What are women's self‑defense mechanisms?

The most important forms of protection are intellectual protection. Awareness, knowledge, and organization are the foundation upon which true protection is built. Yazidi women are no longer the weak women they once were. Today, they stand in a position of leadership and have become a model to be emulated by women of other communities. They have built their own institutions, constructed their organizational structures, and opened for themselves a new path toward liberation from ignorance and from the effects of the genocide that targeted them for many years.

The thought and philosophy based on the approach of leader Abdullah Öcalan played a pivotal role in this transformation. Many of those who confronted the genocide drew their strength from this awareness and from the struggle experience that formed for them an intellectual and spiritual shield, enabling them to stand against annihilation.

How can solidarity, coordination, and unity of women's ranks be achieved? Why is their unity and organization so important?

At the Jinology Academy in Shingal, we want to play a truly leading role, because we know that Yazidi women have played an important role throughout history, and we want to continue on their path.

The increase in attacks on Yazidi women in recent years is linked to the increase in women's awareness and intellectual and political organization. The more aware and organized women become, the more the system attacks them. At such a time, when attacks against them are escalating, their unity and solidarity become extremely important, so that we can share our problems with each other and find solutions.

Protection does not only mean carrying weapons; it also requires deep awareness. If we possessed deep awareness, we would be able to protect ourselves in all fields. This is achieved through self‑organization and unity. Women are the ones who suffer the most from these pains, so they must not keep their suffering inside; rather, they must turn it into strength to defend their existence and identity.

Women are the ones who protect the identity, existence, culture, and beliefs of the Yazidi community. This protection cannot be achieved by just one or two women; it requires internal protection and collective organization. Without internal protection, you cannot even protect yourself militarily. What happened to the Yazidi community was the result of a lack of awareness of self‑protection.

How can a path to a shared and healthy life be built, and what is the solution?

The project of democratic nation represents the path of solution for women and society in general. Within the framework of the democratic nation, there is no place for the state's power and hegemony, nor is anyone above another. All ideas, beliefs, and communities live together in a shared way. This means the end of the existing system, which is why the attacks are so ferocious.

If the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) were able to defeat a savage force like ISIS, then no one can now eliminate the will and determination of women.

Through their struggle against attacks and genocides, women have solidified the roots of their strength. The formation of a women's defense force in Shingal has given all women there a sense of power. As Yazidi women, we must further develop our awareness in political, social, media, and other fields. Above all, women must consider themselves responsible for education, organization, and the protection of society.