JINHA

WAN – Women's group's in Van have filed charges against the Turkish state, family, husband and religious officials in the suicide case of an 18-year-old women who was forced to marry as a child.

Four women have killed themselves in just one week in Van province, which lies in the eastern part of Northern Kurdistan. Women's groups say the rate of women's suicides are increasing. N.S., 18, who killed herself with her father's gun in the town of Çaldıran, was just the latest.

The women's groups Van Women's Association (VAKAD) and Life Women's Cooperative (YAKA-KOOP) headed to the Van Courthouse yesterdayto file charges against the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, who turned a blind eye to N.S.'s being married while still a minor, as well as against her family and religious officials.

"Everyone's fingerprints are on that gun," said YAKA-KOOP member ŞengülŞen outside the Van courthouse yesterday.  "The ones who pulled that trigger were the state that reinforces sexism and the institution of the family, as well as all those in society who stay silent in the face of violence against women. We don't accept the practice of downplaying these deaths as 'fate.'"

MüjdeTozbey Erden, lawyer for the women, says that only punishing those responsible can end the phenomenon of women being pushed to suicide.

(gk/fk/mg/cm)