33 Women Intentionally Killed in Kirkuk
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:30 pm
The honor killing of 28-year-old Sarkar let to an uproar by rights organisation against domestic violence in Iraqi Kurdistan. In February 2012, Sakar Hamadamin, a school teacher from Sarkapan in Rania, was reportedly shot and killed by her father for wanting to marry a man deemed unsuitable
In January 2014 alone, three women were killed and one was found dead in Kirkuk. Women activists and human rights organizations are concerned that violence against women is increasing, the daily Kurdish Hawlati newspaper reports.
Kirkuk Police recorded deliberate killing of 33 women in 2013 and the abduction of 32 others.
“My husband abused and hit me, even threatened to kill me. I could not go to the Directorate of Violence Against Women because their building is not appropriate to protect women. I therefore was forced to accept it and keep quiet” Wiad Hamid, 31, says.
The Directorate of Violence Against Women, Counter-Terrorism Directorate, Kirkuk Drug Prevention Directorate, Kirkuk Police District and Sub-district Directorate are all located in one building - the previous building of the Kirkuk Police Directorate. “A place like this is not suitable to protect women, and it even endangers our lives” Wiad charges.
Jwan Hasan, Head of Human Right Committee of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, says the building for the Directorate of Violence Against Women has to be transferred and more women should be employed.
“50% of the employees have to be women, but out of 47 employees in the Kirkuk Directorate of Violence Against Women only three are women” Jwan adds.
Jwan says that they have asked the Central Government and Kirkuk Administrators many times that this Directorate is not suitable and that is the very reason women do not file a complaint. “In a later statement by the Kirkuk Administration it is written that the Directorate will be transferred to the Kirkuk Academic Police building and that will worsen the situation” Jwan explains.
Srwd Mhamad, in charge of Kirkuks office of the Iraqi Hiwa Group, Human Right NGO, says that there is not enough shelter and people keep guns in their houses and that is the reason behind the increase of violence against women. Besides, many abused women do not file complaints.
The divorce rate, sexual harassment, rape, violence against women and honor killings are on the rise in the Kurdistan region particularly in the past few years.
http://knnc.net/en/full-story-18198-28-False