Tragically, domestic violence is a common occurrence across the globe, and the recipients of that abuse are usually women. Although there are documented cases of domestic abuse against men, it’s not all that common. In most cases women are the victims,often beaten to a pulp, sometimes within inches of their lives. But, though no consolation, those broken bones and bruises eventually heal. The emotional wounds are not so easily overcome, but at least they survive relatively intact. And most of the violence is a result of the partner’s drunken rage.
However, in places like Turkey, the perpetrators of the abuse aren’t satisfied with simply battering a woman, they take it one step further and actually mutilate their spouses. And rather than in a fit of ‘drunken’ rage, these people solicit help from family members and/or friends. Oftentimes it’ a result of some perceived dishonor, other times, who knows. As in the case of 40-year-old Yosma A., this mother of 6, had her nose lopped off by both her husband and brother-in-law after they severely beat her up. At least they didn’t cut off her ears as well, which is what happened to a young woman in Agri, last year. Stabbed and left for dead, minus her ears and nose, she survived.
I suppose you can say Yosma lucked out that she at least was spared her ears, after her loving 43-year-old husband Mirsevdi (who also happens to be her relative) got into an argument with his wife, and along with his older brother Recep proceeded to beat her up, and chop off her nose. I can’t even fathom the amount of hatred and anger one would have to feel to actually beat up another human being, let alone mutilate them.
Not only was she subjected to abuse by her husband and brother-in-law, after Yosma escaped to her father’s home and filed a complaint with the gendarmerie, she claims she was punched by the officer who was taking her to the State Hospital for treatment.
“I was beaten by my husband and my brother-in-law. Just to make things worse I also was beaten by the gendarmerie officer as he threatened me. I filed a complaint against all of them. There is not safety for my life in this village,” she said
It’s terribly sad how women are so often disrespected by certain men that have no qualms about harming even the people they claim to love. Violence against women must stop.
