‘If İstanbul Convention had been enforced, 2,336 women would be alive’

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The Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK) has reminded the public that it has been 10 years since the İstanbul Convention was signed and drawn attention to the process with a report prepared on this occasion.

'331 suspicious deaths of women in a year'

The report of the platform has underlined that "if the İstanbul Convention had been enforced since 2014, when it entered into force, at least 2,336 women would not have been killed by their closest ones."

The platform has stressed that if the convention had been implemented, at least 331 women would not have died suspiciously.

"Tens of thousands of women would not have appealed to the police, prosecutor's offices and courts, they would not have been treated at hospitals for their physical and emotional wounds.

"The little daughter of Emine Bulut, who was massacred in the middle of the street, would not have uttered the sentence 'Mom, please don't die', she would not have been traumatized by losing her mother like this. Protection orders would not have been found in killed women's bags."

What has happened since withdrawal?

The platform has documented the incidents of violence and massacres since the Presidential decision pulling Turkey out of the İstanbul Convention was published in the Official Gazette on March 20.

Some of these incidents are as follows:

* The pro-violence men must have perceived it as a liberty for violence against women and feminicides, because since the news was heard, six women were killed in 12 hours; in other words, one woman was torn apart from her life in every two hours.

* After the decision of withdrawal from the convention was issued on March 20, 24 feminicides were committed until April 27, as far as it could be compiled from the news; 21 women suspiciously died.

* Some men have started to call their lawyers to ask them questions such as "We have pulled out of the convention, is it possible to deduct the sentence I get for inflicting violence on my wife from my total sentence?" and "Can I take the right to custody of my child now?"

* The men who inflicted the severest violence on their wives, ex-wives, girlfriends have started to act more recklessly. Two men given aggravated life sentences for murder were acquitted by appeals courts.

* The ones who are against the İstanbul Convention have started to say it louder, "It is now the turn of the Law no. 6284 on Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women", even that of Civil Code.

* Rainbow flags have become a target everywhere; LGBTI+ clubs at universities have been closed.

* One LGBTI+ was nearly beaten to death and the moment of the incident was filmed and shared on social media.

* A man who killed his child by inflicting violence was first given a sentence reduction, then released from prison.

* Following the decision of withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention, some police stations have started to act as if the Law no. 6284 was repealed. A woman who took refuge in a police station to escape from violence in İstanbul's Pendik and demanded her placement in a women's shelter was told that "she had to present a battery report and evidence proving that she was threatened." In fact, as per the Law no. 6284, which is in effect, women do not have to present such evidence. Even though the woman reminded the law enforcement of the law, the police did not direct her to a Violence Prevention and Monitoring Center (ŞÖNİM).

* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was kept standing for some time when she came for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This protocol crisis was received as an indication of Erdoğan's attitude towards women's rights.

* In Bursa, a woman subjected to violence by a man living in the same housing estate went to the police station; however, no protection order was issued on the grounds that they lived in the same estate.

* A woman filed a criminal complaint against the man who had violated the protection order several times in Kayseri province; the prosecutor recommended that the woman should move out of town.

* In Erzurum, a woman went to the police to file a complaint against the man she was about to divorce and violated the protection order several times; the police responded, "You will die, fighting and fighting."

* In Kütahya, Hanım Çiftçi was stabbed and heavily wounded by the man who had violated the protection order several times.

* In the trial over the suspicious death of Filiz Tekin in İzmir, the evidence was not examined with regards to the charged offenses of "wilful injury and torment of the spouse" and "wilful killing by negligence" and the male defendant was acquitted of the offenses charged.

* Six women from the Tokat Women's Assembly wanted to hold a demonstration of "Withdraw the decision, enforce the convention"; they were taken into custody. After a Women's Assembly was founded at the Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, the rector made a statement on social media and said that "they were marginal groups."

* In the trial over the systematic sexual assault against E. in Kilis province for two years and her resulting pregnancy, the male defendant was acquitted of the offense charged on the grounds of a previous decision of non-prosecution given for the same charge.

* The women who joined the protests against the withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention were given fines.

* In İstanbul, a woman subjected to the threat and insults of the man whom she was married to applied to police for a restraining order. They wanted her to prove psychological violence and present evidence.

* Women who were threatened by a man while they were sitting near the Galata Tower in İstanbul called the police. Arriving at the scene of the incident late, the police warned women, "Why did you wait here at this hour of the evening? You should have gone home."

* Sending an official letter to the municipalities as if carrying out an investigation, the Interior Ministry asked them whether they were engaging in any LGBTI+ works, questioning their basic duties.

* The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into the billboards of the Bilecik Municipality about the İstanbul Convention on the grounds that "they brought the police and teachers under suspicion."

* The only employee of Boğaziçi University Commission for Preventing Sexual Harassment was put on unpaid leave by the appointed rector.

* The massive petition of complaint hung on a building in İstanbul's Zincirlikuyu by the We Will Stop Femicides Platform were taken down. Four refugees from Iran who joined the İstanbul Convention protests were taken into custody and sent to a Removal Center.

* In Diyarbakır, 26 women, including the members of the Rosa Women's Assembly, were detained. While 11 women were arrested, the women were asked such questions as "Why did you attend the March 8 protests" and they were told, "You are being arrested, but this is about the İstanbul Convention, you will be released in July." (EMK/SD)