Medine Mamedoğlu/JINHA

AMED - Woman, who is identified by initial A. has been subjected to violence by her husband Y.B. since she married him when she was 17 years old. A. hasn't been protected despite her applications. A. stated that her ex-husband threatens her by going to her home that she lives with her eight children. A. called women by saying, "He will kill us or I will kill him by applying my self-defense. Women should help me."

Women protect themselves by applying their self-defense against ongoing violence against women. More that 1000 women have killed in five years in Turkey where women are sent back from police station by saying, "You will get along well with each other soon." when they apply to the police. Women aren't being protected. The courts reduce the prison sentence of the female killers for "unjust provocation" and "good conduct during the hearings". Women protect themselves by applying self-defense like Nevin, Çilem and Yasemin in Turkey where the President sees women as incubation with his gendered discourse like "Gender equality is against to human nature" and "Childless women are incomplete".

Woman, who lives in Diyarbakır, has been subjected to violence and threats by her husband. We will use "A" to identify her in order protect her. A. has eight children and she has been subjected to violence by her husband since she married him. A. said that she has filed several complaints; however, she cannot get any results. A., who has faced with male violence every moment, demands support from women.

A. pointed out that no one protects herself, including her relatives and official institutions that are obliged to protect her. A. said, "He attacked me when I told him I get tired of him. He cut my arm with knife. I called police. When they came to home, they took me out from home not him and they didn't take any action about him. Then, they sent me a women's shelter of Governor. I stayed there several days.Then, they told me that I must send my children to child protective service. I left there and began to live with my children."

A. stated that Y. still threatens and harasses her by coming to her home every night. A. said, "When I report police that. They only tell me "Don't open your door." I have filed sued him three times. I cannot send my children to school due to his threats. Once he came to our home and began to threaten us again, my daughter told me, "Mom, he is going to kill us." No one does anything. If it goes like this, he will kill me and my children or I will kill him to protect my children."

(ea/gc/gd)