As Turkey rapidly re-Islamizes, this is no surprise. “Men are the managers of the affairs of women for that God has preferred in bounty one of them over another, and for that they have expended of their property. Righteous women are therefore obedient, guarding the secret for God’s guarding. And those you fear may be rebellious admonish; banish them to their couches, and beat them.” (Qur’an 4:34)
Islamic apologists routinely claim that the Qur’an’s command to beat disobedient women must be applied only with the most harmless of implements — i.e., a toothstick, as per a weak hadith. However, Muhammad’s example is normative for Muslims, since he is an “excellent example of conduct” (Qur’an 33:21) — and according to a canonical hadith, Muhammad’s favorite wife, his child bride Aisha, reports that Muhammad struck her. Once he went out at night after he thought she was asleep, and she followed him surreptitiously. Muhammad saw her, and, as Aisha recounts: “He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you?” (Sahih Muslim 2127) Aisha herself said it: “I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women.” (Sahih Bukhari 7.72.715)
“Turkey: report on violence against women tip of the iceberg,” from ANSAmed, February 21 (thanks to Insubria):
(ANSAmed) – ISTANBUL, FEBRUARY 21 – Independent Communications Network (Bianet), an Istanbul-based NGO and news portal, announced that violence against women in Turkey increased in 2013 compared to the previous year. According to Bianet’s annual report, 214 women were murdered, 167 were raped and 161 were sexually abused by men in 2013. In 2012, the number of women murdered was 165 compared to 214 in 2013. Serpil Kemalbay, representative of the Women’s Trade Union Initiative (IMECE), blamed the increase on the conservative and male-dominant policies of the current government. “Male violence is being viewed as legitimate,” she told SES Turkiye. “The government needs to adopt a definite position on the subject. Currently, the laws are protecting the family, not women.” According to Bianet’s tally, 13.5% of the women killed in 2013 had previously applied for protection. Preliminary injunctions against 13 men were in place when they committed murders. Four women were killed immediately after the injunctions against their murderers were over. Twelve victims were in the process of filing complaints against their murderers at the time of their deaths.
Four men killed their victims during their probation period or shortly after their paroles. Some 49% of the women were killed by their husbands, 13% were killed by relatives, and 12% were killed by their lovers. Ten percent were killed by their ex-husbands or ex-lovers, 5% were killed by their fathers.
According to the report, one reason for violence that stands out the most is women’s demand for a divorce. (ANSAmed).