With nearly a thousand women murdered in Turkey in 2009 according to new data from the Justice Ministry, the country has witnessed a drastic increase since 66 women were murdered in 2002. ?The reason behind violence against women is the imbalance of power in society,? an activist says.
The number of women murdered in a year in Turkey shot up 1,400 percent between 2002 and 2009, according to data recently revealed by the country?s justice minister.
Some 66 women were murdered in Turkey in 2002, but the numbers have been steadily increasing since then, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said.
Eighty-three women were murdered in 2003, 164 in 2004, 317 in 2005, 663 in 2006, 1,011 in 2007, 806 in 2008 and 953 during the first seven months of 2009, the last date for which data was available, according to Ergin.
For Professor Aysel Çelikel, head of the Support for Contemporary Living Association (CYDD) the high increase in the number of murdered women stems from from gender inequality and Turkey?s increasingly conservative society.
?Progress in women?s rights are going worse as much as conservatism is increasing in society,? Çelikel told the Hurriyet Daily News on sunday. There is a direct correlation between the increase in the inequality between the genders and the increased level of violence men commit against women, she said. ?According to international reports, the reason of violence against women is the imbalance of power and the inequality between men and women in society,? and the only way to solve the problem of such violence is to ensure gender equality,Çelikel stated.
?Changing the roles and attitudes of men and women within the family and society while also strengthening the role of women is the only solution in defeating violence against women,? the professor said.
?From 2002 to July 2009, a total of 12,678 cases were opened because of violence and murders,? Ergin told Parliament. ?Some 15,564 people were tried in those cases, and 6,736 were sentenced. In those cases, 1,869 people were acquitted and 794 people were given parole.?
Bengi [email protected]
The number of women murdered in a year in Turkey shot up 1,400 percent between 2002 and 2009, according to data recently revealed by the country?s justice minister.
Some 66 women were murdered in Turkey in 2002, but the numbers have been steadily increasing since then, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said.
Eighty-three women were murdered in 2003, 164 in 2004, 317 in 2005, 663 in 2006, 1,011 in 2007, 806 in 2008 and 953 during the first seven months of 2009, the last date for which data was available, according to Ergin.
For Professor Aysel Çelikel, head of the Support for Contemporary Living Association (CYDD) the high increase in the number of murdered women stems from from gender inequality and Turkey?s increasingly conservative society.
?Progress in women?s rights are going worse as much as conservatism is increasing in society,? Çelikel told the Hurriyet Daily News on sunday. There is a direct correlation between the increase in the inequality between the genders and the increased level of violence men commit against women, she said. ?According to international reports, the reason of violence against women is the imbalance of power and the inequality between men and women in society,? and the only way to solve the problem of such violence is to ensure gender equality,Çelikel stated.
?Changing the roles and attitudes of men and women within the family and society while also strengthening the role of women is the only solution in defeating violence against women,? the professor said.
?From 2002 to July 2009, a total of 12,678 cases were opened because of violence and murders,? Ergin told Parliament. ?Some 15,564 people were tried in those cases, and 6,736 were sentenced. In those cases, 1,869 people were acquitted and 794 people were given parole.?
Bengi [email protected]
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