No Excuse for Violence: The Urgent Fight Against GBV and Harmful Practices
TW: Gender-based violence, femicide, physical and sexual violence against children
“In 2023, 51,100 women were killed by intimate partners or family members—one woman every 10 minutes.”
No Excuse for Violence against Women
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we remember all victims of gender-based violence (GBV). Today starts the UNiTE campaign, which ends on 10th of December, Human Rights Day. This campaign is a multiyear effort to eliminate the worldwide violence against women and girls, emphasizing that collective action can be a vital tool in combat against GBV.
GBV refers to violence targeting a person because of their gender, or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionately. It can take form as femicides (murder of women and girls), intimate partner violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and many more physical, economical, and psychological violence cases.
Cultural practices
Culture is a of one of many instruments to make lives more enjoyable, give structure and safety to it, and manage the collective existence of many people. However, understanding of culture, which goes beyond instrumentalization and reaches intrinsic value, often leads to a dogmatic bond to cultural practices, even when people are getting hurt by them.
Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation, concentrated in some countries from the Atlantic coast to the Horn of Africa, in areas of the Middle East such as Iraq and Yemen and in some countries in Asia like Indonesia. In Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti, it is almost universal with estimations over 90% of the female population. Countries have different legal approaches to this practice, with criminal provisions often remain inefficient and victims still suffering from excessive bleeding, long-term urinary problems, infections, vaginal problems, and psychological trauma.
Child marriage
Child marriage is another human rights violation, with inadequate legislative, poverty and some set of social norms increasing the risk. Due to cultural and religious differences, age of marriage varies in different countries and populations. The legal age for marriage is somewhat universalized around 18-22, with many exceptions however: Iraq for instance, is in the process of law-making allowing children aged 9 to marry. Many countries allow children aged 13-18 to marry with or without parental consent. And the reality is, no matter the legal regulations, child marriages, especially for girls, are common in many economically less developed countries.
Femicides and GBV in Turkey
Murder of women and children is often observed following intimate partner violence or domestic violence. So-called `honor killings´ (namus cinayetleri) is the ultimate extension of a culture and tradition encouraging violence towards women and gender inequality overall. These murders often take place with a twisted justification of protection of one´s honor as in many patriarchal cultures, women are considered to be instruments of honor, and therefore suffer from life-long discrimination and violence. Following inequal access to education and health services, they are faced with the dilemma: either not working and being economically dependent on their male family members/ husbands or working in already gender-biased work environment and being labeled as immoral by some of the population. Either decision can lead to a life ending with a horrible crime as femicides and GBV are not specific to a certain socioeconomic group. These are further emphasized with the lack of efficient legal prosecutions and law enforcement, and transferred through culture and family values. In a country where all women and children are in danger of being victims of murder, everyone is obliged to take part in efforts of elimination of the structure imposing this as a normal phenomenon.
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation. One of the most extensive legal efforts and the first legally binding instrument in elimination of GBV is “Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence” or most commonly, Istanbul Convention. This year marks the 3rd anniversary of Turkish state´s withdrawal from the convention that has been signed within its territory, with their lead. It was originally signed by 45 countries and the EU and Turkey is the only country that has ever withdrawn. It is especially shameful in a country where so far 406 women have been victims of femicides in 2024. “Istanbul Convention lives along! Istanbul Sözlesmesi yasatir!”, as the popular slogan adopted by many different feminist movements in Turkey goes.
No Excuse for Violence against Women
Mechanisms such as evaluating child marriage as a safety guarantee, religious and justifications, and most importantly economic incentive to explain these practices of course exist. With #NoExcuse, we emphasize that we do not let any type of justification stand in our way to eliminate violence towards women and children. As parts of human community, it is our moral obligation to put effort in elimination of mechanisms that are leading communities to continue these practices, that are putting at least half of world´s population.
Considering this, we encourage you to be a part of the collaborative work aiming to dissolve the existence of GBV by eradicating the structures conserving harmful practices. Familiarizing yourself with the effects of GBV, contributing risk factors, ways to prevent possible crimes, and protection of and support to victims are some ways individuals can contribute to attempts to eradicate GBV. Financial or physical support to a community-led NGO is also an effective option since community work often has a better chance of influence than individual efforts.
Take Action to end Violence against Women
Fundacion enda el alto is a community-led NGO working with children victims of physical, psychological and sexual violence. At `Casa Minka´, their therapy center, they provide individual and group psychological therapy sessions, as well as activities like art and music therapy, yoga and meditation, self-defense classes, and sports. You can learn more about their work here and support with your donation on this website.
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Written by Deniz, volunteer at avinjo.