One of the greatest horrors of Kurdish society is the life of a women under occupation, not by invaders, but by her own household.

To escape this women attempt to burn themselves alive, as horrific as it sounds it’s very common, and only shows how dire their situation is

In 1994 the independent women’s organisation visited one of the hospitals that treats burn wounds, 80% of patients are women the majority of whom purposefully burned themselves.

They lie about how it happened and deny they burned themselves for fear of repercussion from family.

The reason for these attempted suicides is the mental/physical torture they face at home.

Here the head of the ward talks on the matter in depth, and gives an example of when a man came and left his wife who attempted suicide by burning herself there to die not to be treated.

It is an all encompassing issue, perpetrated especially by the older generations. But sometimes it reaches point of murder also.

Here a women interviewed says if her daughter tries to marry someone her or her husband don’t agree on then they will murder her (Again 1994)

Even those who are more progressive in their thought are shamed and ridiculed by those around them.

Here a woman describes how a man was murdered in his own home because his neighbours didn’t like how his wife was allowed to go to a wedding without him

The reason I highlight this old footage is not because it no longer exists, this is still prevalent, but it’s to show that during the time of our greatest political accomplishments (like raparin, creation of KRG). Women’s lives did not change one bit.