Criticism of the 'Violence Against Women' circular

Öneş Derici began her speech by emphasizing women's rights. "Today, women's rights in our country are constantly being trampled upon, and violence against women is being trivialized," she said. Recalling the press conference held by CHP deputies on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, declared by the United Nations, Öneş Derici criticized the circular on combating violence against women that was published in the Official Gazette on the night of the same day.

LAW NO. 6284 IS BEING PRUNED

Pointing out in her speech that the circular issued by the Presidency is proof that the fight against violence against women is not understood, Öneş Derici said, "Following our withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, we now see that Law No. 6284 is being pruned through this latest circular. To deal with violence effectively, to prevent violence and protect the victim, a joint effort at the national and international level is required."

EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY IS A FLAWED AND PROBLEMATIC APPROACH 

Focusing on the changes made in the circular, Öneş Derici objected to the renaming of the "Violence Against Women Monitoring Committee" to the "Coordination Board for Combating Violence Against Women" and the statements that evidence-based policies would be followed instead of a woman's statement. Furthermore, arguing that support for anger management, effective communication, and stress coping for perpetrators of violence is insufficient, she said, "The same circular states that evidence-based policies will be followed instead of a woman's statement. A statement was never the only thing being taken as a basis. The legal path was always open for individuals alleged to have committed violence. Now, with this circular, what kind of evidence do you intend to use to shed light on suspicious deaths or the experiences of women who are cowed by fear and unable to explain their situation to those around them? If her arm is not broken, if her eye is not bruised, or if she has not been stabbed, for example, has she not been subjected to violence? The circular notes that support will be provided to perpetrators of violence regarding anger management, effective communication, and coping with stress. Are we going to tell a man who beats his wife, through suggestion, 'please don't beat her, you can just shout'? Or are we going to say, 'don't kill her, just beat her'? Wouldn't it be a more effective struggle to provide education to all our citizens about equality, human rights, and women's rights, and to impose deterrent penalties on perpetrators of violence? Do you see the reason for a woman being thrown from a balcony to her death as the woman angering the man? Instead of teaching our children that we cannot interfere with other people's right to life, that we cannot harm others for the sake of doing what we want, and that everyone in this country is equal, will you provide anger management training to perpetrators of violence? This approach is a flawed and problematic approach."

Öneş Derici also touched upon various articles of the circular, continuing her criticism by saying, "The fight against violence against women is a supra-party issue. Just as you did with the Istanbul Convention, you cannot decide to withdraw overnight from a convention signed by 45 countries! International conventions are binding."

'WE WILL FIGHT FOR WOMEN' 

Finally, addressing the need for the government to take transparent and concrete steps, Öneş Derici said, "Defending the struggle of women for equality and freedom actually means defending the values of the Republic. On December 5, 1934, women were granted the right to vote and be elected in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. If we consider the reforms carried out by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the 1920s and 1930s regarding gender equality, we can see what a poor performance the current government is putting on in terms of taking women's rights seriously. We must uphold the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey and carry his understanding of equality into every area of life. As women of the Republic, we will continue to fight for all women in this country and to protect our most important value, our Republic."

News Source: 12punto