SOHÊR ÎDLIBÎ

Idlip – In Syrian Idlib city, women have been at the loose end. In the city, the suicide rate has been increasing day by day.

The last woman who committed suicide was Meysaa Dirbas. 33-year-old Meysaa was subjected to violence by her husband. The reports reveal that her children were taken from her and she was kicked out of her house. Meysaa Dirbas, who couldn’t see her children, killed herself after being kicked out of her house by her husband.  

Meysaa Dirbas’ best friend Meryem EL-Mihemed told us how Meysaa had been driven to suicide;

“Meysaa was a teacher and intelligent woman. She started to live in Atma camp with her family after leaving Raqqa for security reasons. She wanted to keep teaching in the camp. She never talked about the violence she faced even though she was an educated woman. But we could see the marks of violence on her body.”

Women cannot tell they have been subjected to violence even if they are educated women due to the social pressures, Meryem EL-Mihemed said her friend had tolerated the violence but she had committed suicide after not being able to see her children.

Difference between suicide and driven to suicide

“If Meysaa had been a guilty woman, she would have been stood trial. But will her husband, who inflicted violence against her and drove her to suicide, be tried?” asked Meryem. There is a difference between suicides and driven to suicide, Meyrem said that nothing can bring Meysaa back but there are thousands of women like Meysaa in Idlib.

The deaths of Semîra and Busîna have been reported as suicides

Semîra Selûm was forced into marriage when she was 15-year-old. Due to the hostility between her family and her husband’s family, she had been banned from seeing her family members and she killed herself.

Busîna EL-Xalid was also forced into marriage when she was 16 years old. She killed herself due to discussions between her family and her husband's family. The official records say the deaths of these women were “suicide”.

Sociologist Nûr El-Xatîb: Female suicide rate is increasing

Nûr El-Xatîb, a sociologist working for social service, claims that women have killed themselves after being driven to suicide. Domestic violence, torture, the conflict between families, social pressure, lack of education, the presence of armed groups, and ongoing war are several factors cause women to stay away from the social life and spend their lives in houses, Nûr El-Xatîb said, “Add the Covid-19 pandemic to these factors. There is no mechanism that can protect and defend women in Idlib. Yes, the female suicide rate is increasing.”

Nûr El Xatîb also reported that the female suicide rate has increased across Syria and she called on NGOs to take a step in order to stop suicides.