THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY Research Team Filiz Kardam Coordinator İlknur Yüksel Assistant Project Coordinator Mesut Deren Field Coordinator Zeynep Alpar Field Researcher and Data Analyst Ergül Ergün Field Researcher and Data Analyst Altan Sungur Field Researcher and Data Analyst Ebru Hanbay Field Researcher and Transcriber Tülay Ağca Field Researcher and Transcriber İpek Oskay Field Researcher and Transcriber Hatice Karakaş Field Researcher and Transcriber Birce Albayrak Workshop Organizer THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY Acknowledgements This research could not have been undertaken without the generous help of countless individuals in the field and the trust and openness of our res- pondents. In the interest of protecting anonymity their names will not be mentioned. In addition, special thanks go to Alanur Çavlin Bozbeyoğlu, Pelin Çağatay, Senem Er, Ayşe Nevin Yıldız, Ebru Şener and Hanife Alie- fendioğlu for giving their support to the project. This report was edited by Genevra Murray. THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY Contents Foreword 6 Introduction 10 Methodology of data collection 12 Scope and target groups 12 Data collection, transcription and evaluation 13 Perceptions of honor 16 Honor with a focus on women and women’s sexuality 16 How should honorable men and women behave? 19 Other perceptions of honor 21 From honor based on the control of women and women’s sexuality to honor crimes 24 Cases of ‘dishonorable conduct’: causes and consequences 28 A married woman having an extra-marital relationship 29 A married woman running away with a man 31 A married woman getting separated or divorced 32 A divorced woman having a relationship with another man 32 A young unmarried girl having a relationship 33 A young unmarried girl running away with a man 35 A woman (married or unmarried) being kidnapped and/or raped 38 Experiences of ‘dishonorable conduct’ and `honor killings: factors involved, 42 responses and interpretations of causes THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY What can be done to stop honor killings? 50 General overview of proposals 50 Proposals 51 Proposals by individuals 51 Proposals by professionals and organizations 52 Thinking about an action program: possibilities and constraints 54 Important considerations 54 Suggestions for action 55 Summary and Evaluation 60 Prevalent perceptions of honor and communal surveillance 60 How are honor killings perceived? 62 The emphasis on inevitability in honor killings 62 The reasons behind honor killings 63 Not all ‘dishonorable conduct’ results in murder 64 What can be done to stop honor related murders? 65 Appendices: Appendix I: Number of interviews conducted 68 Appendix II: Information about the quarters in which research was 76 conducted in the four cities Appendix III: List of professionals interviewed 78 Appendix IV: Information about NGOs 80 Bibliography 84 6 THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY Foreword In September 2000, 191 World leaders gathered at However, one of the most significant challenges the United Nations in New York, at the dawn of a that continues tu undermine women’s freedom and new millennium, to reffirm their commitment to equality in Turkey is the persistence of honor kil- the UN and its core values and principles. Through lings. Through this report on “Dynamics of honor this Milennium Declaration, the world leaders re- killins in Turkey: Prospects for Action”, UNDP cognized their collective responsibility to uphold and UNFPA are seeking to further contribute to the universal principles of human dignity, equality, the discussion and debate in turkey about honor and freedoom the fear of violence, oppression, and killngs through perspectives from a cross-section of injustice. “equality” is defined as the recognition society: women and men of varying ages, educatio- that the equal rights and opportunities of women nel levels, and social backgrounds; public officials; and men must be assured. religious leaders, non-govermental organizations; and the media. Importantly, the report provides These same principles are at the heart of Turkey’s examles where public officials are committed to ambitios reform and development agenda, which actively protecting the rights and fundamental is also in line with its process of accession to the freedoms of citizen’s and to dispelling the nations Europen Union and the EU political criteria that killing based on the concept of honor is accep- which emphasizes respect for, and protection of, table in a democratic society. Equally important, fundamental freedoms. In spite of this important however, the report also highlights examples where progress, however, Turkey is still facing serious public officials support beliefs and promete an en- challenges to gender equality related to women’s vironment in which honor killings, and thus the participation in social, economic and political life. extreme violation of women’s rights, is deemend According to the 2005 Gender Empoworment permissable. Measure, Turkey ranks 76 out of the 80 countries that are ranked within the GEM for gender equ- Such examples illustrate the vital Turkey’s democ- ality and participation. The United Nations De- ratic institutions can and should play in promoting velopments Programme (UNDP) is working with the protection of women’s rights through rule of the goverment, civil society, and the UN family in law and through upholding the universal princip- Turkey to increase women’s political participation les of freedom and equality. It is also abundantly and to increase their opportunities and choices in clear that dispelling the nation of honor killings as the social and economic sphere. acceptable is shared responsibility among all seg- THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY 7 ments of Turkish society: public officials, including educators, police, lawyers and judges, legislators, the media religious leaders, youth organizations, communities and families themselves. For this sea- son, the report provides specific recommendations for training state employees, NGOs, community leaders, schools, and youth on gender equality, and creating mechanismis through which issues of “ho- nor” can be resolved through discussion and medi- ation rether than violance. Without recognizing and adressing the issue of honor killings, Turkey will continue to face chal- lenges in achieving its own ambitious reform and development agenda. UNDP and UNFPA urge serious consideration to the findings and dynamics of the report, and to pursue its recommendations as a vital contribution to promoting Turkey’s re- form agenda by erdaicating the acceptance and pratice of honor killings. Jakob Simonsen UNDP Resident Representative 8 THE DYNAMICS OF HONOR KILLINGS IN TURKEY Foreword I am pleased to introduce the Dynamics of Honor when individuals with institutional backing decide Killings in Turkey: Prospects for Action report. to take action, this impact increases dramatically. This report is a critical first step towards eradica- As part of the UN system, UNFPA is committed ting honor killings in Turkey. There has been little to the protection and promotion of human rights qualitative research to date and only one quantita- for all, including women and girls. We believe that tive study published. This study, therefore, consti- the ongoing murder of women in the name of ho- tutes a key contribution to our understanding of nor is the most shameful human rights violation the experience and dynamics of honor crimes in in Turkey. The underlying notion that familial and Turkey, and the larger honor system which rationa- particularly male honor is determined through the lizes and indeed requires these crimes. This report control of women leads to the exclusion of women is particularly timely; the passage of the new Penal and girls from the public sphere, education, the Code has increased penalties for honor crimes and formal economy and political decision making. commitment to their eradication and the results Most pressingly, as documented herein, this honor of this study can feed directly into the work of system results in the needless murder of women Parliament’s Investigatory Commission on Honor and girls across the country. Although many par- Killings and Violence Against Women and Child- ticipants in the study thought of honor killings as ren. It is only with understanding of the complex something distant over which they have no cont- dynamics underpinning honor crimes presented in rol, UNFPA believes that it is the responsibility of this report that this legislation can be successfully every citizen, along with government officials, inc- implemented. luding those at the highest level, to actively com- bat the murder of women and girls in the name Until every Turkish citizen, along with government of honor. officials, takes responsibility for the protection of the lives of all people, including women and girls, One of the most important first steps in eradica- the country’s greatest ‘shame’ will be its collective ting murder in the name of honor is to instil hope and individual failure to protect women and girls that the situation can be changed. As documented from brutal and needless murder in the name of in this report, when even a single individual deci- honor. des to take action against honor killings she can Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen have an enormous impact on the problem. And UNFPA Representative 9 Foreword The Honor Killings Project is a study which was ies, with the support of non-governmental organi- conducted by the Population Association with the zations. Support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Development We would like to extend our thanks to the United Program (UNDP). Nations Population Fund for designating the Pop- ulation Association to work with them in such a The Population Association was established in 2004 project that has great importance for Turkey and to carry out activities in the field of demography, to to Ms. Meltem Ağduk, who provided all sorts of participate in studies carried out by different disci- assistance at different stages of the project.