MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Wan - At least 275 women were killed in Turkey in the first 10 months of 2022, according to the report released by the We Will Stop Femicide Platform. At least a woman is killed in Turkey. Rate of femicide cases in Turkey increased by 88% in October, compared to October 2021. One of the cities, where the number of deaths of women increased, is the city of Van. 15 women died under suspicious circumstances in the last 10 months.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Star Women’s Association member Serhat Güvenç emphasized that the number of women, who apply to the association, is climbing in the last period. “At least three women apply to our association every day,” she said.

“Turkey has turned into a women’s cemetery”

Stating that Turkey has turned into a women’s cemetery,” Sertha Güvenç said that at least a woman dies under suspicious circumstances every day in Turkey. “Every day, women apply to us and say they are subjected to violence,” she told us.

“Deaths of women are normalized”

She added, “Every day, about three women, who are subjected to violence, sexual abuse and want to file for divorce, apply to our association to demand support. Our society has been desensitized about the deaths of women and deaths of women are normalized.”

“There are many factors that lead to femicide and suspicious deaths of women”

Serhat Güvenç told us that at least a woman is killed or dies under suspicious circumstances in the city. Speaking about the reasons behind the deaths of women, she said, “There are many factors that lead to femicide and suspicious deaths of women. Social and economic situations are two of these factors. Men think there are leaders and no one can oppose them. Many women apply to us because they are cheated by their husbands. Some men get involved in many sexual intercourse with more than one woman and when women oppose this, they are subjected to violence or driven to suicide.”

Star Women’s Association is a non-governmental organization providing legal, psychological and financial support to women victims of violence. “The number of applications to our association is too high to deal with. Sometimes, we do not know which application we should give priority to. About three women apply to our association every day. 90 percent of the women who applied to our association in the last two months demanded legal support to file for divorce. Women who oppose to violence want to divorce,” Serhat Güvenç said.

“Men are encouraged by society”

The association also carries out awareness-raising activities to end gender-based violence. Speaking about the increasing number of women, who died under suspicious circumstances, Serhat Güvenç said, “Recently, many women have died under suspicious circumstances in the city. Last month, a pregnant woman, mother of two, died under suspicious circumstances. Her family claimed that she killed herself because she suffered from ‘psychological problems’. Unfortunately, our society sees the deaths of women as normal. Men are encouraged by society. We carry out awareness-raising activities to change this mentality.”

The names of 15 women, who died under suspicious circumstances in the city in the last 10 months, are as follows:

• Neslihan Arvas died under suspicious circumstances in the Alipaşa neighborhood of Van’s İpekyolu district. It is claimed that she fell down the fourth floor while cleaning windows.
• Zeynep Şengüler was killed by her husband, Mehmet Veysi Şengüler, in the İpekyolu district of Van.
•  Dilay Yiğit died under suspicious circumstances in the Ali Paşa neighborhood of Van’s Tuşba district.
• Dead body of Rukiye Gökay was found in the İpekyolu district of Van province.
• Dead body of a 60-year-old woman was found in the İpekyolu district of Van province.
• Dead body of a woman was found in the Özalp district of Van province.
• Dead body of a woman, namely A.G., was found in the İpekyolu district of Van province.
• 19-year-old Öznur Aslan, a student, died under suspicious circumstances in the Axçayis (Turkish: Koyunyatağı) neighborhood of Van’s Gürpınar district.
• 63-year-old Ördek Barkın died under suspicious circumstances in the İpekyolu district of Van province.
• 32-year-old Perişan Kuran died under suspicious circumstances in the İpekyolu district of Van. According to the local sources, she had been subjected to violence by her husband.
• A 55-year-old woman, namely Ş.Ç., died under suspicious circumstances in the Muradiye district of Van province.
• 25-year-old Hülya Avcı allegedly killed herself with a firearm in the Yoldüştü (Paga Exnê) neighborhood of Van’s Gürpınar district.
• Dead body of Funda Matur, 20, was found shot to death in the Çakırbey neighborhood of Van’s Erciş district last night.
• 40-year-old Suna M., mother of five, died under suspicious circumstances in the Bahçesaray district of Van province.