Violence Against Women and Gender Inequality

According to the Turkish Language Institute, violence is defined as  "the degree, superiority, hardness, excess in an action, the force or behavior resulting from an action."

According to the World Health Organization, violence is "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or a group or community, resulting in injury, death, pyschological harm, developmental disturbances, or an increased likelihood of these."

As evident from this definitions, violence is not limited to its physical dimension, It can affect individuals in various ways, including physical, verbal, or economic harm. The most vulnerable groups to violence include children, the elderly, women and LGBTQ individuals. Particularly, violence against women is directly related to gender inequality. From a feminist perspective, violence is considered the ultimate result of a male-dominated mentality, deriving is fundemental motives from the power caused by the patriarchal system. This mentality, enforced by cultural norms and gender roles, becomes a driving force for men to dominate women. The societal gender inequality, which is the root cause of the gender-based violence against women aged 16-44 was explained as domestic violence. Violence, recognized as a violation of human rights by the UN Commission on the Status of Women, encompassess any gender-based behavior that inflicts physical, sexual or psychological harm on women or restricts their freedom. Recognizing the many causes of violence, feninist activists emphasize the patriarchal system as the most apparent reason. Throughout centuries, in a cosmos where man's logos and power were accepted as symbols, the passive position of women has led to consequences that are difficult to remedy. This understanding creates numerous problems for women in both public and private spheres. The patriarchal system, drawing strength from biological determinism, positions women as passive, emotional and submissive while regarding men as the perpetual symbols of power. Therefore, it can be said that one of the fundamental reasons for violence is the patriarchal mindset. Additionally, violence can stem from economic inadequacies, alcohol and drug use, and psychological disorders, among the other reasosns. However, these should not be excuses in the fight against violence and concrete legal steps should be taken regarding the issue. Above all, for positive changes to occur in the field, initiatives involving men should be actively pursued and the frequency of educational programs on the subject should be increased.