According to the figures collected by women's rights organizations and organizations fighting violence against women, the rate of all kinds of violence against women such as murder and suicide is increasing. Speaking to ANF, the activists drew attention to the legal and social reasons for the increasing violence against women and suicides.

Jiyan Hemîd, Kirkuk branch executive of the Women's Union, stated that there are many reasons for the increasing violence against women. She said that women commit suicide every day.

Lack of shelters

Hemîd said that women are reacting against the widespread violence and added: "Women were ashamed to go to women's associations and institutions in the past, but now they are conscious and take a stand against this situation."

Hemîd said that the lack of safe houses for women is a big problem, as they cannot protect them adequately. "Women who have been abused, 14-15-year-old girls contact us to avoid being forced into marriage. They want to stay with us, but unfortunately, we do not have places like women's shelters. Sometimes I hear that the person who was subjected to violence killed herself a week later. The lack of women's homes means we can't defend them enough."

Current laws protect men, not women

Drawing attention to the lack of any law protecting women's rights, Jiyan Hemîd said: "As violence against women continues to increase, divorces have increased. The reason for this is that there is no law protecting women's rights. When women want to separate from their husbands, we do not encourage them to divorce, but it is better to divorce than commit suicide. When women want a divorce, the law does not give them any rights. When a case goes to court, women's rights are not protected as much as men's rights. The effect of the patriarchal system on the courts is clear."

Suicide rather than constant violence

Kurdistan Xalid, Head of the Social Department of the Kirkuk Branch of the Women's Union, emphasized that despite efforts to reduce violence against women, violence, femicide and female suicides have increased. Noting that no woman would want to kill herself, but that many are driven to suicide due to the increase in violence, Kurdistan Xalid said: "Women complain when they are exposed to domestic violence. But the current law is not in the interests of women. It actually gives more support to men. Due to the absence of a law that protects women's rights, women are driven to suicide. The absence of shelters is a big problem for women's organizations, because it causes women to have no place to go and feel safe. They can't stay in police stations because of oppression. We know that the existence of shelters reduces the rate of violence and murder, and once women have a safe place, they won't have to commit suicide."

Killers get light sentences

Kurdistan Free Women's Movement (RJAK) Kirkuk Branch officer Dilvan Ekrem Mehmud said: "Right now, the rates of violence against women, femicides and suicides in society have increased to a great extent. It has increased so much that it has become a daily event. The reason is the spread of patriarchal consciousness in society. In addition, there is no awareness in society to take a stand against violence against women. To this, we have to add the uncontrolled spread of weapons is another factor affecting the increase in violence.

Laws do not protect women. When women are murdered or exposed to violence, the perpetrators receive a light punishment or solve the problems within the framework of the tribe. In this way, the killers are freed from both legal and judicial penalties. As women's organizations, we carry out work to raise awareness of women about solving and reducing violence, and to enable women to work in all areas of life. Women should not see themselves as servants of the house. This is really important."

The bad effects of Turkish TV series

Pointing out that Turkish TV series dubbed in Kurdish set a bad example, Dilvan Ekrem Mehmûd said: "Turkish TV series are dubbed in our language, domestic corruption is mentioned and violence is used in these TV series. Many men point to these TV series as an example, because according to them, Turkey is developed but our society is backward." She asked women to be educated about child health and to pay attention to their children in the use of digital media.