4) Have you ever seen a "Hanife"?

A young scapegoat

Sevgi Soysal interprets a severe issue of Turkey in the story "Hanife" on her book "Barış Adlı Çocuk". Hanife is just 15 years old young girl. She wants to be important because nobody care about her, her mother as well. For the first time, Hasan gives she something to make her feel herself important. To be with Hasan in hayloft can seems dangerous for her life, but she already doesn't have anything to lose in her life. She is already scapegoat. I doubt whether, in villages like Hanife lives, there are girls who have different fortunes from Hanife or are happy to have their life.

Let change the story process. If Hasan didn't rape hanife and she wasn't sacrificed for honor, What would happen? Would Hanife be good and glad her life? It is slight probabilty!! She either gets married with a man who is not accepted by Hanife or she always be under the pressure and no chance to tell anyting. She have only right to consent what society give her.

it is awful, isn't it? Can you imagine it? or Have you ever seen a "Hanife"?

Yes, I saw! She was 17 years old and she were gotten married with a 58 year old aged man by her father for money. Also, aged man have already 6 wifes. After nearly 9 months, they have a son. A few year later, the son died and old man divorced the little girl. She had no crime to be punished. Nevertheless, the man must punish someone because of death of his son and the scapegoat was ready to be punished.

Now, she is a 23 years old widow woman. She couldn't feel in love another man and she will never feel in love in future. If she wants to be with a man, she will announced as a whore! So, she has been convicted to be alone her lifelong or she will be gotten married with another old man who want to be with her.

Now, tell me! Is it better that death?

I say " NO!". We can be far away from girls like Hanife in our daily life we used to see but everyday hundred of girls and women in Turkey still suffer from being not "Man" and "scapegoat". You may not do something for make their conditions better, but you can give thanks for not being in their shoes as a girl.