It’s almost November 25 Day Against Violence Against Women. One of the countries which has seen all kinds of violence against women in recent years is Syria, where women have suffered physical, sexual and psychological violence in the war that has continued for over 7 years.

Starting in Rojava, Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) has fought against all violence in Northern and Eastern Syria and built a large women’s army.

The relentless fight under the YPJ’s lead against forces that know no bounds in violence against women like the gangs operating under the names ISIS or FSA, the regime or the Turkish state has led to many women turning towards Rojava and Northern Syria.

10 THOUSAND WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE CAMP

Thousands of women have joined the fight alongside YPJ, while thousands of others live in camps in Northern and Eastern Syria. One of these camps is the refugee camp in Ayn Îsa. Some 10 thousand women and children from various Syrian provinces and Iraq have fled violence and death and come to the Ayn Îsa camp to live.

The Women’s House set up by the Raqqa Civilian Assembly for women in the Ayn Îsa camp is working to solve women’s issues. Bûsra Eyas from the Ayn Îsa Camp Women’s House stated that most of the women in the camp have been subjected to all kinds of violence before.

“NOT JUST PHYSICAL”

Eyas said most women in the camp have gone through traumatic processes and added: “Women have suffered not only physical violence during the war, but also psychological, sexual and all types. The greatest violence against women happened in these lands.”

Eyas likened the level of violence to the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic, “Ignorance”) period and said: “For instance, during the Jahiliyyah women were buried alive and stoned to death. That was the greatest violence. Today the violence has transformed but continues. The Turkish state exposing the bodies of women is an example.”

“WE SUPPORT THEM FOR THEIR FUTURE”

There are 3.115 women from Raqqa, 8.073 from Deir Ez Zor, 1.056 from Aleppo, 48 from İdlib, 64 from Hama, 162 from Homs and 518 from Iraq in the camp, where psychological, legal, educational, financial and spiritual support is provided to women. Bûşra Eyas said: “We here try to heal the wounds caused by male violence in the past on one hand, and try to support these women to set up a future on the other.”