Conservative women: Violence against women is a problem above ideologies

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The Family and Social Studies Platform (ASAP) announced support for the İstanbul Convention on preventing violence against women in a written statement on Thursday (August 6).

The ASAP is a group consisting of conservative women, including journalist Ayşe Böhürler, one of the founders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ayla Kerimoğlu, a prominent figure of the Islamic women's movement in the country, and Prof. Emel Topçu.

Because of that, their statement on the convention, just as the statement of the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM), a group vice-chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's daughter Sümeyye Erdoğan, was met with surprise and received support from the public.

"The convention protects women and children"

"The convention shouldn't be squeezed into the clash of eastern and western civilizations, it should be explained more," Kerimoğlu says. "Yes, some people may have fears caused by not knowing the convention. We must understand those people and tell them that the convention doesn't destroy the family. For those who have deeply rooted negative thoughts on this issue, there is nothing to do if they are not convinced after being told about all aspects of the convention."

"The point the discussions about the convention have come is also very troubling. We don't find insults and divisiveness right. We think that violence on women, child abuse are at a point above all ideologies. The issue of women and children is above all ideologies.

"The convention is feared, it's not known completely. Presenting our own view, we thought that those who oppose could view it differently. We hope that our efforts will serve the protection of women and children.

"As the Islamic world, we should take what is right and nice from wherever we see them. If there is something right, nice, then we should take it. We shouldn't leave it because it's 'western.' Moreover, the convention is not 'European'.

"We will also send the text we have written to the ministers."

What does the ASAP statement say?

"The convention is neither the mother of all evil nor has the ability to solve the problem of violence on its own," the ASAP statement says about the convention.

"But it is an important step in the struggle against violence on women, a 'stop' warning, an indication of determination. Like any other text, it is not perfect. But this convention should be adopted until a better one exists.

"We, as the Family and Social Studies Platform, consider women not independent from the family or the opposite of the family, but the main element of a marital partnership consisting of men and women.

"We believe that only families without violence can build a healthy society and reject all forms of violence.

"We think that violence against women affects the family, children and society negatively."

The group has also published an article titled, "What is İstanbul Convention, what is it not?" and calls on women to support the convention. (EMK/VK)