We attended the 11th Feminist Night Walk this year on March 8. From Galatasaray Square to Taksim, we walked crying out our slogans for women solidarity. Before the night walk, we have sent many faxes to the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, Dictorate General of Women’s Status (KSGM) and the Prime Ministry, drawing the attention to the policies supporting male dominance which surpass the 8th of March celebrations.
We attended the 11th Feminist Night Walk this year on March 8. From Galatasaray Square to Taksim, we walked crying out our slogans for women solidarity. Before the night walk, we have sent many faxes to the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, Dictorate General of Women’s Status (KSGM) and the Prime Ministry, drawing the attention to the policies supporting male dominance which surpass the 8th of March celebrations.
Women from approximately 50 women organizations have raised their concerns over sexist policies and practices with the fax movement, initiated by Mor Çatı as below:
Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNİM) which serve to men, cannot prevent violence against women!
This year, we celebrate 8th of March in the shadow of policies supporting the male dominance even further. Women are not recognized as individuals. Whenever possible they are restricted to their traditional roles in the family. Law no 6284, which is to fight violence against women, cannot fulfill the expectations. Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers initiated under this law, support women and force women to return to the violence. Religious speeches are being used, to fill the gap of social, psychological and legal support, which should be provided to women in the shelters.
We have worries that Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers are going to support a peacemaking strategy to protect the integrity of the family, instead of keeping women and children away from violence. While almost all institutions are violating privacy rules, we have worries that Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers, which are going to have all the information about women and children, do not acquire the requirements to prevent the sharing of this information.
We have worries that the central structure built by the Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (Şönim-KOZA), especially since this central structure does not support women, are going to have pressure on the shelter activities of the municipalities and the independent women organizations.
Women cannot find the social support either from the Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers or shelters or civilian authorities, to be able to build a new life away from violence. We have worries that law no 6284 can be non-functional.
On 8th of March, as we struggle with violence against women, we expect that sexist policies would not be supported, a budget would be reserved for women and building a new life away from violence would be possible for women.
