One of the manipulation methods developed against the rising women's struggle all over the world is concepts. The way rape and prostitution, which are tools of violence used to control, supervies, humiliate, degrade and punish women, have been handled in recent years is one of the main examples. While the concept of "rape" is softened with the discourse of "sexual abuse", male violence is thus camouflaged. A similar situation exists for the concept of "prostitution". While the concept of "prostitution" is legitimized with the discourse of "sex worker", the gravity of the situation is also masked. 

 

 

These concepts that camouflage male violence also put women in an accusatory position. Lawyer Cemile Turhallı evaluated the legal and political aspects of the preferred concepts. 

 

CONVENTIONS DO NOT CORRESPOND IN PRACTICE 

 

Drawing attention to The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1979, Cemile Turhallı said that the convention addresses issues such as rape and prostitution, but does not include the identity and position of women. Pointing out that there are serious ambiguities in the convention at this point, “Equal work, equal right to education, equal political system, these concepts are always derived. They try to establish a relationship of equality through this. But the reality is never approached. In fact, the handicap there is that there is no real definition and confrontation. We can talk about many conventions that talk about the principle of equality, such as CEDAW, the Istanbul Convention, The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on Civil and Political Rights. However, we see that there is no equivalent in practice.” 

 

RAPE CULTURE 

 

Cemile Turhallı stated that the most important thing is the acceptance of the existence of women as a social identity and said: “The main leaven of all ideologies created and owned by the state system is already sexism. We are talking about a slavery that has been going on for thousands of years and that we see as the main reason for the attacks against women. Women and the female body have been enslaved. Rape has been imposed on women as a culture. Unfortunately, this culture has been institutionalized through family culture and the system of states has maintained its existence by preserving it. The main source is sometimes nationalism, sometimes religionism, sometimes centralism. All sources feed on sexism. This needs to be confronted and fought against. First of all, this system must change and women must be defined as a voluntary power. The main goal should be for women to benefit from all rights based on social equality.”

 

THE EFFORT TO NORMALIZE EXPLOITATION

 

Cemille Turhallı pointed out that concepts are produced through the ideas and ideologies one has, and said that the meanings attributed to concepts are a reflection of the ideologicel acis of individuals. Cemile Turhallı noted that slavery was formed through the relationship of exploitation-domination over the female body and stated the following: "The woman's first body was recognized as a commodity. Although this situation is more institutionalized in the capitalist system, it is actually a situation that continues from the slave system and unfortunately, women have recently had to market their own bodies. This has not been a choice but a necessity. Because unequal power relations do not only manifest themselves on women's bodies. You are also disadvantaged in economic relations."

 

Stating that the judiciary is the guardian of all political systems, Cemile Turhallı said the role of the judiciary in both the liberal legal system and the capitalist system is to act as the guardian and protector of the existing political system.  "All existing political systems are already anti-women systems. Therefore, it sees women as a subordinate sex from the very beginning. This is why the judiciary starts to ask questions with an accusatory approach when a woman is subjected to violence by a man with whom she has an emotional relationship. This starts from the judicial authorities and goes all the way to the judicial stage. The woman is forced to apply to a system that is not on her side," she said. 

 

ALLIANCE OF OTHERS

 

Cemile Turhallı stated that the struggle can only be possible with the acceptance of women's social existence and their inclusion in all executive organs of society on the basis of equality. "It is possible to recognise that women's basic rights are equal to men's, but most importantly to eliminate all arguments and attacks that make women's social identity unequal, and to establish a line of self-defence against this. You need to organise on a front where you can build an alliance of all others."

 

Cemile Turhallı stated that Kurdish women marched with the alliance of the others and said: "While building the women's libertarian paradigm, while waging her struggle against an oppressive ideology and power, she tried to reflect women's representation on the field with a women's libertarian paradigm. That is why she uses equal representation in a political sense, but its practicalisation and construction period are indispensable for her. That is why she defends co-presidency and equal representation, institutionalises the co-spokesperson, and implements the zipper system. It has been a reference for a women's libertarian structure to be accepted by the whole society. At the same time, it organises the anti-war front. This is where its credibility lies. It is no coincidence that the slogan 'Jin, jiyan, azadi (Woman, life, freedom)' is so recognised and meaningful in the world, and that it has become a source of inspiration for the understanding of women's liberation. This is because the Kurdish women's movement has constructed society as a whole and waged a struggle against sexism. It has also waged a war against all the rigid reference systems that weave sexism. I think its success and inspiration to the world is also related to the multifaceted nature of this struggle."  

 

Cemile Turhallı stated that women, who are half of the world's population, are hostile to women and said that this hostility is not ordinary, it is a hostility that aims at women's lives. "A war has been declared against women" Cemile Turhallı said and noted that women are waging a great struggle for existence against this war. Cemile Turhallı emphasised that a women's alliance is essential against the problems being experienced.

 

'SOLIDARITY MUST BE THE GOAL'

 

Cemile Turhallı's message on 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is as follows: "25 November is of course the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and at the same time one of the most important days for women's solidarity. Continuing the struggle and making solidarity essential must be the goal for all of us. The results of this can be seen in the slogan 'Jin, jiyan, azadî' all over the world today. With the wish that this century will be the century of women, I convey my greetings to the women who have positioned themselves as the most important force in ending violence against women and continue their struggle."

 

MA / Rukiye Adıgüzel