DİYARBAKIR - Women from the Network of Combating Violence Against Women stated that the state officials and some segments of the society create barriers for women who have been subjected to violence to reach non-governmental organizations, and stated that the women who applied do not trust state institutions, being in the first place judiciary.

 

In the report of the Network of Combating Violence Against Women, which was established on March 7, 2019 in Diyarbakır, published on October 21, 2020, 1841 people applied to the network due to violence. The report on the applications made in 2021 is expected to be announced at the end of the year.

Derya Yıldırım, Diyarbakır branch executive of the Human Rights Association from the Network of Combating Violence Against Women, and Elif Tirenç İpek Ulaş, one of the lawyer of the Rosa Women’s Association, made assessments regarding the applications made to women’s institutions and the barriers to women’s access to institutions.

 

‘Women are worried when applying’

 

Derya Yıldırım, Diyarbakır branch executive of the Human Rights Association, stated that applications are usually made for domestic violence and sexual abuse, but women apply after a long time has passed, and said: ‘’A woman who has been subjected to sexual abuse cannot apply immediately. Reasons for not applying; It is seen that not believing that any punishment will be applied to the perpetrator and social pressure. The woman who has been sexually abused cannot accept the situation herself. After she accepts, she evaluates the pressure she will experience in society. She thinks if it is punishment after she is overcome them all. The people that women deal with at the police station and at the prosecutor’s office prevent them from making an application. It is a family, nothing happens, you are a woman, what happens if your husband beat you, which causes them to apply late.’’

 

‘We act on the demand of woman’

 

Explaining that they took action upon the woman’s application and the stages of the proceedings after the application process, Derya said: ‘’We are following the criminal complaint until the lawsuit is filed. If the woman has permission, we share the event with the press. We seek support from different women’s institutions. Some women just want the association to deal with it. For this reason, we cannot share the event with the press or other institutions. Unfortunately, some women leave their complaint only in the form of an application. She says that this application should stay here, and if something happens to me, it will be seen that I have made an effort before. Some women come to the association to receive a battery report when they are exposed to violence. There are women who seek psychological support. We then contact the institutions that provide psychological support. We act on the demand of woman. We are fully supportive in its legal aspect.’’

 

‘A policy of impunity is being applied’

 

Stating that what has been done is not enough and that a policy of impunity is being carried out against the struggle that has been going on for years, Derya said: ‘’The struggle for justice started by women after overcoming all obstacles does not get the desired result. They ensure that the perpetrator is acquitted by saying good conduct time, provocation, what the woman did, and lack of evidence. This situation causes serious destruction in women. It is a devastating process not only for women but also for women's organizations that follow the process. Because you see the sudden disappearance of a serious effort. The reason for this is the policy of impunity. The absence of a real trial in cases. The fact that women’s statement is not taken as a basis prevents women from participating in this process. Women who see these things from the press think that they cannot get the result they want from justice.’’

 

‘Women are exposed to multiple violence’

 

Stating that they declared the Network of Combating Violence Against Women in 2019, they prepared three reports in this process, lawyer Elif Tirenç İpek Ulaş said: ‘’We have seen in the prepared reports that women are generally exposed to multiple violence. Women who are exposed to physical violence are also exposed to psychological violence. We have seen that women who are exposed to psychological violence are exposed to economic violence. Women are exposed to multiple violence.’’

 

‘State institutions do not find a solution to violence'

 

Pointing out that women know better the places and methods they can apply to than in the past, Elif said, “Most of the institutions receive applications via social media. Awareness works carried out to date have raised awareness about where to apply and what to do when women are exposed to violence. It is more difficult for women living in rural areas to reach institutions because their opportunities are limited. Recently, we see that femicide cases are mostly experienced in rural areas. Here, women only apply to state institutions, but we see that these places do not find a solution.’’

 

‘Trustees prevent women from reaching’

 

Expressing that women’s solidarity centers in pre-trustee municipalities were working to reach women, but the appointed trustees closed these institutions, Elif continued: ‘’Many works have been carried out to raise awareness of women who have been exposed to violence and abuse. For several years, the closure of women's centers with the appointment of trustees, and judicial harassment caused difficulties in reaching rural areas. Despite this, the Network of Combating Violence Against Women is pushing ways to reach rural areas. Violence against women and children in Turkey and the region knows no borders. We also receive a lot of applications under the age of 18. When violence knows no bounds, the struggle knows no bounds.’’