Violence is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the application of physical force or power to another person in the form of a deliberate threat or reality, resulting in or having the possibility of causing injury, death, and psychological harm to the exposed person. Violence is to impose our own opinion forcibly instead of making peace with people who do not think the same as us. Although it is perceived to be only physical, it can also be verbal or psychological. The cause of the tendency to inflict violence on others is not known yet. Violence against individuals is primarily directed towards women and children. Violence against women is a social problem for every country, but this situation is much more critical for Türkiye. There are some specific precautions that the Turkish government should take to prevent violence against women in Turkish society.
The first precaution is to raise public awareness. The government should support projects that raise awareness of violence against women in Turkish society. The public must accept that women are also individuals and change their mentality towards women. Non-governmental organizations should be supported in their efforts to combat violence against women by increasing their visibility on TV and social media platforms. Arrangements should be made to support women in business and education, enabling them to pursue professions. If these suggestions are implemented in Türkiye, awareness about violence against women can be raised.
The second precaution is to increase the number of shelter houses where endangered women can be accommodated and protected. In Türkiye, there are very few shelters available for women who are victims of violence. Women who have experienced violence seek a safe place to stay where they can feel protected and secure. There are one hundred forty-five women's shelters in Türkiye, but they have very limited capacity. Unfortunately, this precaution falls short of providing complete protection to women facing violence. Therefore, the shelters need to increase their capacity and establish new regulations regarding the length of accommodation.
The final precaution is to impose more effective penalties. In 2023, two hundred thirty-four women were killed in Türkiye. According to the latest statistics, Türkiye's ranking in femicide is sixty-seventh among one hundred fifty-one countries. These statistics reveal the inadequacy of laws against femicide and violence against women. The maximum penalty for the crime of threat, a type of violence against women, is only nine months. If a gun is used, and more than one person is hurt, or property is damaged, the perpetrator may face imprisonment from two to five years. The imposed penalties are insufficient. The Turkish state should implement more effective punishment methods to deter perpetrators instead of resorting to prison sentences. Penalties such as aggravated life imprisonment or deportation, which are considered to be more effective, may be imposed.
As a result, the level of violence against women in Türkiyehas become a serious issue. Unless we prioritize violence prevention policies, reducing violent crimes against women in Türkiye seems difficult to achieve. If the Turkish government takes the aforementioned measures, such as raising public awareness, increasing the number of women's shelters, and implementing effective laws, it can prevent violence against women from escalating to terrible levels in the country.
MİNE YILDIZ
E3
234804086
*This photograph is licensed under Unknown Author, CC BY-NC-ND.
Comments
Post a Comment