ELİF AKGÜL

Istanbul- The attacks against the Istanbul Convention at the beginning of the year and gained momentum when Turkey withdrew from the convention with a decree issued by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 20 at midnight. In July, Turkey officially withdrew from the convention.

In 2021, the 4^th Judicial Package,” introduced by the government to the Parliamentary Justice Commission, was adopted by the Parliament. Thus, the parliament also approved the article demanding “concrete evidence” to prove crimes such as sexual abuse, murder in the first degree and torture. Every day, news outlets reported the disappearance of women and femicide. The number of women demanding justice on social media against violence and other crimes such as harassment and rape increased. The number of suspicious deaths of women also increased. The never-end hate policy of the AKP government against LGBTI+s continued. Although 2021 was a pessimistic year for women and LGBTI+s, they took to the streets to defend their rights. The women and LGBTI+ movements, which got stronger, broke down the police barriers together in Istanbul during their protests against the withdrawal of the Istanbul Convention; despite the attacks against them and their rights, these movements entered 2022 stronger.

Nurşen İnal, the representative of the We Will Stop Femicides Platform Women Assembly, spoke to NuJINHA about the struggle of women and LGBTI+s in Turkey in 2021.

“Femicides continued in different ways”

“Women face a historical rooted male dominance in Turkey,” Nurşen İnal said, “Even though we live in different territories, the same fathers, same husbands, same lovers, bosses, and same political powers try to make all decisions in the private and public spheres. They try to control women. This attempt is the root of violence. The attempts of men to control everything and gender inequality are the main reason for violence against women.”

“We were seen as an easy target, and we were attacked”

Noting that women faced inequalities and injustices due to the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis not only in Turkey but also all around the world, Nurşen İnal emphasized that the number of femicides and suspicious deaths of women continued in different ways and they were tried to be hidden.

“Women were seen as an easy target and they were attacked on the streets by unfamiliar men. Domestic violence and women applied to women’s organizations increased. Women were fired for various reasons, the number of girls left school increased. Due to the Covid-19 and economic crisis, more women faced mobbing and pressures in their working places. Women’s invisible and unpaid care work also increased.”

“Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention was unlawful”

Recalling that 2021 started with “unlawful withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention”, Nurşen İnal said, “Unfortunately, Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, which protects women while hundreds of women are killed every year by men in Turkey.”

“The biggest evidence is the statement of women and children”

Speaking about the approved 4th Judicial Package and the article demanding “concrete evidence” to prove crimes such as sexual abuse, murder in the first degree, and torture, Nurşen İnal said, “Demanding concrete evidence to prove crimes against women and children can cause the criminals to go unpunished. Arresting criminals is the most important security measure to protect children and women, who are subjected to sexual abuse and assault. The biggest evidence in such cases is the statement of women and children.”

“Women resisted every day by taking to the streets”

Underlining that the implementation of Law No. 6284 is a way to protect women and children, Nurşen İnal continued to talk as follows:

“The methods of violence are changed and our constitutional rights are violated. Against the attacks on women’s rights, women resist making decisions about their own lives. They resist everywhere, at the courthouses, on the streets, and in workplaces. Women’s organizations across Turkey come together and protest the attacks on their lives and rights. They took to the streets to protest the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Women were against supported by women. The state, political parties didn’t stand by women.”

“We will change this picture in 2022”

“We will not give up on the Istanbul Convention, which continues to save lives in countries where it is implemented,” Nurşen İnal said that they will keep struggling until “all articles of the Istanbul Convention and Law No. 6284 are implemented.”

“We will focus on suspicious deaths of women because they have reached the rate of femicide. Recording the deaths of women as suspicious deaths is a policy of immunity. The policy of immunity encourages the perpetrators and increases femicide. In 2022, we will change this picture.”