FilizZeyrek / JINHA

NEWS CENTER – After years of abuse, Çilem Doğan killed her abuser this past July. Çilem wrote to our agency from prison with a message for all women: "It's not our fate to be killed; self-defense is our right."

28-year-old Çilem Doğan, from the city of Adana, Turkey, separated from her husband after surviving years of his abuse. The man, Hasan Karabulut, continued to abuse her.On July 10, as Hasan violently attempted to force Çilem to work as a prostitute, Çilem defended herself from his abuse, shooting him six times. She notified the police of what had happened and went to her family's house. As the police took her away, Çilem uttered these words: "Is it always women who will die? Let men die some, too. I killed him for my honor."

Çilem wrote to JINHA from the Karataş Closed Women's Prison in Adana. In her letter, she called on women to escalate their resistance against male violence and emphasized that self-defense is a right. We share her letter here in full:

"I received the hope-filled text you sent. I know I'm not alone; I've never doubted that you share my pain, my problems, and my every moment. Because you're women; we're siblings, we're society, and what's more, we're millions.

"I know that November 25 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. I want you to know that even if I'm imprisoned, my thoughts will never change. I will be in the struggle.

"There's no way to describe my pains and those of women who, like me, have suffered violence. It's not easy to take a human life. And the things we've lived through aren't easy at all. But once again, it's us who are declared guilty, even as it's us women who are abused, repressed, and raped. It doesn't make us 'murderers' to defend ourselves from someone who abuses us and makes us fear for our lives every day.

"I wish this hadn't happened; I wish we hadn't had to kill. But I want you to know, it's not our fault; it's the fault of the system that blames women whenever it says 'honor.'

"None of us need to go through this. But they think we're only worthy of this kind of life, because we're women. They try to make us go through what our mothers went through. The things happening to us are no different from the things that happened to [sexual assault and murder victims] Özgecan and Cansu. One day I too would have been killed; I could be dead today. But unfortunately, we're the ones declared guilty. This system discounts us everywhere. They emphasize that 'morality' only applies to women. Nobody wants to be stuck between four walls; this is not our fault. We're not murderers.

"No one can accuse us of being unjust. Once again, it's men and the patriarchal system who interrogate us. We know that we can't stay quiet when we're subjected to psychological and physical violence, when we're harassed and raped. At this point, we know this and we're gaining strength from one another's wounds, healing one another. We don't need to read and talk a big talk for solidarity to happen. Daily life teaches us everything. We learn everything from one another, and we see the hope of emancipation in one another. We gain strength from one another.

"Who knows how many women are at this very moment bowing their heads to fate and crying quietly. We can't even guess how many women are abused, but we're millions—millions trying to care for one another's wounds and heal one another. It's on us to be the defenders now. It's on us not to fall silent when we're harassed; it's on our bond of fraternity, it's on me, it's on Nevin [Nevim Yıldırım, who killed her long-term rapist]… We're never alone. We're going to push and push until we open these doors. Even if there are just two of us, inside or outside, it's enough. That other person is balm and strength for us.

"I know that you haven't forgotten thephrase, 'Is it always women who will die?' I believe that we at least give hope to those going through issues. Mothers, siblings young and old, never feel alone. We're not alone; you're not alone. We're behind you with all our righteousness. The future will arrive, by all our hands. I love you all so much."

Çilem signed the last page of her letter with a drawing and a list of slogans:

"It's not our fate to be killed; self-defense is our right."

"One man, one human, one woman, one society."

"Woman means society."

"The future will be more beautiful than the past."

"Let it not be always women who die."

"End violence, rape and harassment of women."

"Woman, life, freedom."

"Strong women, strong tomorrows. Until we greet a world without beatings, oppression, defenselessness, desperation…"

(mg/cm)