[View the story "Honour, rape and the right to abortion" on Storify ]Honour, rape and the right to abortion Decapitation sparks debate over women’s rights in Turkey Storified by The Stream · Thu, Sep 13 2012 11:20:39
In late August, shockwaves rippled through Turkey as news emerged that 26-year-old Nevin Yildirim killed her alleged rapist, decapitating his corpse and carrying the severed head into the town square. Yildirim reportedly then said, "Don't talk behind my back, don't play with my honour. Here is the head of the man who played with my honour". She is now in prison awaiting trial for murder.
Below, video from the crime scene. Warning some of the images may be graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.
Köy meydanında inanılmaz vahşet!videqo
Yildirim is now seven months pregnant with Gider's child. She sought an abortion after discovering she was pregnant but was turned away because the allotted time period for her to have an abortion under Turkish law, ten weeks, had passed. "I thought of reporting him to military police and to the district attorney, but this was going to mark me as a scorned woman. Since I was going to get a bad reputation I decided to clean my honour and acted on killing him. I thought of suicide a lot but couldn't do it", she
said . After a medical examination, Turkish authorities have decided against granting her an abortion.
A picture of Nevin Yildirim and her accused rapist, Nurrettin Gider.
Profile Pictures | FacebookFacebook
A picture of Yildirim as she walks into court in Turkey. Yildirim has become a hero in the eyes of many Turkish human rights advocates.
"I thought of reporting to police and to the attorney, but this was going to mark me as a scorned woman"#nevinyildirim http://pic.twitter.com/NJHw7CkLNevin Yildirim
"I chased him," she said. "He fell on the ground. He started cussing. I shot his sexual organ this time."#nevinyildirim http://pic.twitter.com/sBM41gYMNevin Yildirim
The case has reignited both the abortion debate and the issue of women's rights in Turkey. Abortion has been fully legal in Turkey since 1983. The rise of the Islamist-rooted AKP party in 2002, however, saw Islam enter Turkish politics for the first time in the history of the republic.
This tragedy happened in southwestern #Turkey, #Isparta Province the town of #Yalvaç #nevinyildirim http://pic.twitter.com/Jolsz88TNevin Yildirim
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has made statements equating abortion with
murder . In one remark to Turkish media, he stated that every abortion "was an Uludere", referencing a failed attack on Kurds by Turkish warplanes in December 2011, claiming 34
lives . In May, Erdogan proposed a bill that would have reduced the timeline for an abortion to the first six weeks of pregnancy. After intense street protests against the measure, parliament scrapped the proposal.
Video of a pro-choice protest in Turkey following the proposed abortion curb.
The World: Street Protest of Proposed Abortion Ban in Turkeypri
"Kürtaj Bizim Kararımız"bianetorg
This case has also brought up the issue of honour killings. Turkey has witnessed a major spike in these types of murders, with a reported
200 women killed in 2011 alone, accounting for half of all murders in the country.
The issue is notably problematic in Turkey's Kurdish region, where a majority of honour killings
occur . Communities in this region are ruled by a patriarchal system where women accused of "dishonouring" the family have their fate decided by a "family council". In many cases, the youngest family member is sent to kill the female relative accused of "dishonouring" the family in the hopes that authorities will be lenient.
This
column by a Turkish woman decries the plight of Turkish women, arguing that women's rights are slowly receding.
abortionAJstream
The rise of the AKP brought about a culture war between religious and secular groups within Turkish society. Many complain that since the AKP came to power in Turkey, the party has attempted to take away many of the rights women had won under previous secular governments.
In this project, producer Selçuk Kaya photographs 29 women from Turkish society in order to highlight violence against women. The project will be on exhibit throughout 2012 in many Turkish provinces.
Alo 183 Hayat Kurtarır-Kadına Şiddete Sonesverdim
Many netizens were generally supportive of Yildirim and her actions.
A strong woman. #Turkish #NevinYildirim beheaded her rapist, saying "here is the man who played with my honour"maggie jonas
If there r ANY justifications for using violence, this is definitely 1 of them. How is Nevin Yildirim not justified, Turkey? #PreviousTweetsارررررسلان ársªlån
Nevin Yildirim cut her rapist's head off & then carried it out for the public view. If that isn't "Gangsta", I don't know what is. B
#Nevin Free Nevin. Allow her an abortion.http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/09/reape-abortion-fight-womens-rights-turkeyLynette Ray
I salute Nevin YildirimAmbitious Boss
Why the hell is Nevin Yildirim even on trial for killing her rapist who had been raping her for a while?! #PreviousTweetsارررررسلان ársªlån
Nevin Yildirim has Power.MsMaine
Other netizens took aim at the Turkish government, saying action needed to be taken to support women's rights.
Turkey needs a new constitution,one that is progressive,pro-citizen, conducive to a mature democracy,freedom of speech& press,women’s rightsElif Şafak / Shafak
RT @EmmaDaly: #Turkey takes a step back on women's rights despite horrendous violence; need more govt action here not less! @hrw http:/ ...Jennifer Cusano
Erdogan we are the girls&women of Turkey;we demand our rights now. We demand gender equality. Hear the women & obey human rights #8martkadinRuki
I genuinely worry for the losses that the women's rights movement in #Turkey will face under #Erdogan's vision. http://bit.ly/ME76URSana Rahim
Turkey!Bans abortion! calls for min 3 children!Announces care for rape victims child! Lets 3 yr old die from rape!I am sick to my stomach!Ayse Tekagac
