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Some of the evaluations reveal all forms of male violence faced by Özgecan and all women.

By 16 February 2015No Comments

The reactions from all parts of the society to the rape and subsequent murder of Özgecan are undoubtedly significant since they offer an opportunity towards the elimination of femicide and prevent men from practicing violence against women. However, most of the discussions do not give any hope of improvement in this respect, because political actors or groups, the government in particular, are reluctant to recognize their responsibility in Özgecan’s murder. Özgecan’s murder is discussed as an isolated case, a murder conducted by a thug only. Consequently, men who run from one demonstration to the next and make one statement after another seek to position themselves outside this cycle. Özgecan’s murder, however, is not a coincidence.

You cannot assess Özgecan’s rape and murder as independent from male violence and politicians who continuously speak about women and intervene in women’s laughter and décolleté and distinguish between ‘chaste’ and ‘unchaste’ women. You cannot analyze rape by isolating it from its male perpetrator and patriarchy.

The reactions from all parts of the society to the rape and subsequent murder of Özgecan are undoubtedly significant since they offer an opportunity towards the elimination of femicide and prevent men from practicing violence against women. However, most of the discussions do not give any hope of improvement in this respect, because political actors or groups, the government in particular, are reluctant to recognize their responsibility in Özgecan’s murder. Özgecan’s murder is discussed as an isolated case, a murder conducted by a thug only. Consequently, men who run from one demonstration to the next and make one statement after another seek to position themselves outside this cycle. Özgecan’s murder, however, is not a coincidence. 

You cannot assess Özgecan’s rape and murder as independent from male violence and politicians who continuously speak about women and intervene in women’s laughter and décolleté and distinguish between ‘chaste’ and ‘unchaste’ women. You cannot analyze rape by isolating it from its male perpetrator and patriarchy

Some of the evaluations reveal all forms of male violence faced by Özgecan and all women. There is not a single women, neither in this country nor in this world, who has not experienced the anxiety of being alone on the street or in a bus, especially at night. Likewise, there is no woman who has not, at least once, experienced harassment or violence by men.

As if men were granted the right to control women… The father who will not let his daughter stay out late, the man who slaps his girlfriend, the minister who promotes motherhood as a career for women, President Erdoğan who makes explicit that he does believe in equality between men and women and all other men who contribute to the gender inequality and profit from patriarchy are the perpetrators of violence, harassment and rape against women. Especially, the state which legitimizes rape and encourages men by suggesting that the raped woman should give birth to the child or arguing that the woman should not have worn a mini skirt are responsible for the systematic violence, murder and rape against women.

We ask those who now call for a re-introduction of the death penalty: What have you done so far to strengthen women against the male dominance? You say that femicide and rape is everywhere and argue for the execution of every men who does so. So you do know who you are! You cannot prevent rape through castration or execution.

We face male violence every single day, because you do not intervene when your neighbor is hit by her husband, boyfriend, father or brother; because you are not outraged when in a court room it is questioned whether the raped woman consented to her rape; because you do not respond to those who propose women-only busses instead of preventing men; because you let the man who says “The raped woman shall not have an abortion, she should die instead” keep his position. Some of you claim to defend women’s rights but keep on insulting women and try to intrude women’s gatherings and demonstrations on the streets. You continuously remind us of the male solidarity which guides your behavior.

Despite all this pressure and intimidation, many women defend their lives by killing those men who try to kill them. They do not do so because that they were betrayed, divorced or neglected (excuses men who kill women hide behind); they do so to stay alive!

Istanbul Feminist Collective / 15.02.2015

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