Uçan Süpürge (Flying Broom) Magazine Interview

24 July 2003

Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation

 What male arms do to women?

Arms have a huge impact on women, who everyday encounter with the results of violence conducted by light arms. Sexual harrassement done with armed force is used as a means of war. Licensed individual arms pose thearet to women as least much as unlicensed ones. 

Thousands of women are shot, injured, threatened, captured, robbed and raped every year throught the world.  İt is more possible that women are killed by men and are inflicted upon physical injuries. On the other hand, it is ironic that mostly men produce, sell, purchase, posses, use and abuse light arms. According to data of BAPAM, in 2518 samples, only 4,6% of those who applied for arm license is women and they did not apply for security reasons, mostly because of inheretence of arms from their husbands. Victimisation of women due to existence and abuse of arms are disproportionate to their armament rate. For every woman who is killed or injured with firearm, tehre are many more women who are under threat in their homes or in war regions. İn sumamry, altough women are unarmed they are under more risk with comparison to men and altough their security is under more risk, they are in favour of armament like men.

Sexual violence that is used as a war weapon in confclict and after confclict areas such as Aphganistan, Sudan, Democratic Congo Republic and ex-Yugoslavia is geenrally executed with arm use. Women and teenage girls are abducted from their homes with armed force. Altgouh generally women fall victim during conflicts; they are at the same time participate in the conflicts and undertake logistic duties such as information, food, clothing and shelter. They also undertake long term duties such as caring for the ill and injured. 

Most of the replaced people or refugees consist of women and children. Many women and young girls are routinly raped or sexually harassed by arm force even in refugee camps that should be a safe place.

Women become supporter of their families and bread winner during war or after war period when male population’s destruction is high rate. Despite this, women often excluded from decision making mechanisms after war, their needs are not dealt properly during disarmament and end of military mobilization processes.

It is high possibility that women can be shot by a person who is closely known to them such as husbands or close relatives with a licensed arm in non-conflict regions. İt is high possibility that arm kept at home can be used against the residents of home in comparison to an intruder. Arm plays honour protector role in the family. According to BAPAM data, more than 80% of 2518 samples who apply for arm license are married men. The rate of arm use in all spouse killings incidents is 35%, according to a survey conducted retrospectively by Forensic Medicine Institute which encompasses 12 years back. 

There are two aspects of women’s arm victimisation as in every legal case. One striking data derives from here. It was determined that  40% of women prisoners are in jail for murder , 80% of tehse women who received a sentence for murder killed their husbands, the crime tool was a gun that belonged to the decased husband, according to a survey conducted in Bakırköy women and children prison, which is the sole women prison in Istanbul, in 2000. (The study of İ.Balcıoğlu, A. Samancı, A. Akcan, F. Engin Akcan)

Our women who take responsibility for social problems take leading roles in local, national, regional and international organisations carried out for highlighting the dangers of armed violence and amendment of laws.  İn spite of this, women are still not adequately represented in decision making mechanisms. 1325 numbered decision on “women, peace and security” taken by Security Conseil in October 2000 is one of the steps taken, which creates a platform for women to make themselves heard in war areas and individual victimization cases. 

Organizations for violence against women should take the front row in the campaigns against light arms. Our women should mobilize against armament that takes away the woman’s right to live within their communities. It is my wish that there will be resistence to armed violence and women’s experiences and views can be adequately represented on decision making forums. It is because women are the mother of peace and hope, they grow their hopes.