An analysis of the murder of women in a 10-year period in Eskisehir Province located in western Anatolia in Turkey

摘要

Murder of women generally occurs as a result of violence by their husbands and relatives. We evaluated the female victims of murder in Eskisehir, located in western Anatolia, where the education level is high in this study. Our aim was to assess and discuss data related to the victims and murderers. A total of 141 women's murder cases were analysed in the study. After a legal process and the results of the autopsies during 2002-2011 in Eskisehir, 715 subjects found to have died as a result of murder were chosen. Cases were evaluated in terms of their age, marital status, education level, relationship to the murderer, reasons for violence, type of action and reasons for death. It was determined that 48.2% (n = 68) of the victims had been killed by the husband and 7.8% (n = 11) by the ex-husband. Murderers generally stated that the reason of murder was the woman's request for divorce or breaking up (n = 40, 28.4%). In compliance with the literature, the women were most commonly killed by their husbands in our study. Enhancing women's status and preventing violence against women will decrease such murders. In comparison to women, men, in general, are murdered due to wars, conflicts and fights. On the other hand, women are generally murdered by violence. Women are mostly murdered by their husbands and relatives. Violence against women is a global public health problem. It is reported that one in every three women in the world is exposed to violence by the relatives or husband at least once. It has been reported that 30% of the women in developed countries and 50% of the women in developing countries are exposed to domestic violence. Women are exposed to violence by their husbands or relatives all around the world and in particular in countries with stricter religious beliefs. They are generally murdered without a reason. Murderers simply justify the action as tradition or a religious belief. It is reported that 119,000 women were murdered in 2000 and 70% of were killed by their husbands, ex-husbands or boyfriends. Society ignores domestic violence and accepts it as a natural phenomenon except for serious injuries, causing domestic violence to continue. Women do not report domestic violence to the legal authorities, particularly in underdeveloped countries. However, violence sometimes results in the woman's death. Female victims of murder in Eskisehir in western Anatolia were evaluated in this study aimed at assessing and discussing data related to the victims and the murderers. Eskisehir is a city in north-western Turkey. According to the 2012 census, the population of the city is 781,247. Eskisehir is known as a university town and one of Turkey's foremost industrial cities.