2013-05-19T18:17:27-04:00 Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=dr-eylem-atakav Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Dr Eylem Atakav Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1742705 2012-08-05T19:00:00-04:00 2012-10-05T05:12:04-04:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/ Duma (Dolls) is an extremely powerful documentary by Abeer Zeibak Haddad. It is regarded as the first ever film to focus on and shed light to violence against and sexual assault of women in Palestine.

Haddad's first attempt to expose this issue is a puppet theatre show she created (Chocolate), which deals with silencing of sexual abuse. The film opens up with a scene from the puppet show: we see a little girl in the playground; a stranger approaches her; we do not see what he does to her, but we can see him turning her forcefully on the carousel as she pleads: "Enough! I don't want the carousel! I want to get off!"

Failing to attract audiences for the act, Haddad decides to make a film and directs her camera towards the lives and realities of five Arab women who have were sexually harassed or raped by their family members or friends at an early age.

What bring these women together is not only the violence they endured in different ways, but also their silence imposed upon them by their families or society. The film creates a space for women to break the barrier of silence and fear and speak overtly about their experiences of rape and abuse.

One of the women interviewed talks about how she chose to hide it from her parents in order to not hurt them. She is not seen but heard in the scene when she talks about rape: ''We sat on the promenade, my friend's cousin and I. I was drinking coke and felt something strange, felt dizzy. We entered the room, he shut the door. Picture yourself suddenly waking up in great fear.. that's how I felt. I suddenly woke up. I went to open the door but he didn't let me. He shut the door. I tried to escape but he suddenly pushed me forcefully like an animal that captured its prey. He took of my pants. He took them off and I pulled them up. "I beg you, please! Please don't force yourself on me!" Suddenly I felt a terrible pain. Terrible. I cried and cried. When I saw the blood my fears boiled down to: "what is they find out, what if he tells..." I am forced to have sexual intercourse. I am no longer a virgin. That's it.. it was like something died, something was crushed."

Another woman tells us that she lives with the images... and the nightmares; "I picture him as a monster."

In an interview, Haddad talks about the challenges she faced in making the film: "People told me that it would be impossible to find women who were willing to come forward and talk about these issues in front of a camera. This is because these women fear negative retributions from the community, and bringing shame to their family. Some women have lived with the secret of being sexually abused for years, they are even afraid to tell their own mothers. Even though I spoke with many women who had suffered from sexual abuse, only five of the women agreed to be filmed. Out of those five only one agreed to have her face shown. It took months to find these women. Additionally I was afraid that society would not accept the film, I am finding that now people are very open to seeing the film."

Haddad sees the main mission of her film "to be able to make women who are victims of sexual abuse feel that they are not alone. I want this film to give women the courage to come forward with their secrets. My mission is to show this film to as many audiences as possible, it does not matter what country a person is from or what religion they associate themselves with, I just want to show it to as many people as possible."

In the film one of the women decides to face her abuser and tries to come to terms with her fears about re-living the experience when he sees him. Yet, he does not turn up to the meeting. Another woman seeks legal advice from a woman lawyer to file a complaint against her rapist/uncle, but she decides to not proceed with it because she is scared: "I'll have to hide from everyone when they find out my uncle's arrested because I filed a rape charge against him... In the meantime he is alive and I am dead. In the future he'll be in prison and I'll be dead outside, jailed outside."

One of the most powerful talks in the film is from a man who gives a public speech (about the death of his daughter) at a demonstration about violence against women in Palestine: "I was informed of the murder of my daughter... Some tried to 'silence' the crime and people came up with false allegations to prove the innocence of the killer. They said a closet collapsed on her. Then they said she slipped and fell and so forth... Then the report... stated that her ribs were broken, that she was strangled and prevented from breathing... Where did we go wrong? Where did we fail that we couldn't protect... all those who were murdered?'"

These questions remain unanswered. Around the world as women are continuously murdered in the name of 'honour'; the practice of female genital mutilation in the name tradition takes lives; attempts to ban abortion continue; women's bodies are sold and women are abused, we need more films that scream the pain women go through while their identities and bodies are violated. Haddad's film does so brilliantly as it is brutally realistic; revealingly provocative, and exceedingly enthralling.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1416076 2012-04-10T16:59:03-04:00 2012-06-10T05:12:01-04:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/ Klezmatics: On Holy Groundye documentary once again with joy and although I generally do not write on music and film, I was so moved by it I wanted to write a blog piece. As Joshua Nelson says in the film, the Klezmatics' music is 'the soul speaking to you'. In fact, the camera embedded with love and warmth, aesthetically, emotionally and musically allows the film speak to one's soul whilst at the same time capturing the past, present and the future of the band. In fact, the modesty and elegance of the band has gently permeated the spirit of the film through the language of music.

Each frame is carefully chosen to highlight the vibrant colours of their music, lives, challenges they face (individually and as a group). The music presented through interviews, rehearsals and concerts in the film keeps one alive as the rhythmic elements of the music takes you to an emotional journey on each note.

The members of the band look familiar. The directorial choices seem to have created a rather fascinating effect as they help build a warm connection between the audience and Lisa, Lorin, Matt, Frank, Paul and Richie. This feeling of 'we have known them as friends for years' does not leave you at all, throughout the film. Although only a short part of the film, the animation (which reminds of the Persepolis aesthetic) is a joy to watch because it adds to this sense of familiarity with the characters.

Each incredibly talented individuals of the group represent an aspect of life and embedded in them are a variety of challenges (be it at the level of performance, or financial contexts within which they produce their music; and even at the level of creativity). Lisa is an amazing (and exemplary for that matter) independent woman who speaks the most moving language of the violin that touches one's heart with each move; Lorin's accordion and vocals shakes one to the bone or fills you with feelings which you only get when celebrating the arrival of spring after a long winter; Frank's life and music move you deeply as he is a man of hope, love and excellent humour; Matt's sax and clarinet is as exciting as his pink hat which brings even more colour to the style of the group; Richie's youth seems to bring energy to the band.

Revealing and depicting these qualities at the level of filmic representation is a big challenge (which can only be met by passion), which Erik Greenberg Anjou has so successfully met. The sadness and at times tensions that the band faces are attached to the film so modestly, yet they manage to have a rather powerful effect on the audience.

I would like to end with the hope that the film wins The Klezmatics more and more awards; even a bigger reputation and more and more listeners and fans from all over the world and from all languages and religions; just like their music which calls for peace and invites all genres of music no matter if it is tones of jazz, gospel music or classical music. Overall, the documentary's success in representing the human side and emotional side of the band (through the stories of each of the members and the group as a whole) coincides or merges with The Klezmatics' raison d'être.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1319977 2012-03-04T19:38:00-05:00 2012-05-04T05:12:01-04:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/
It was a few years ago on a very warm summer day in Izmir, as my mother and I drove by the fields, that I realised theorising about women and feminism in Turkey without acknowledging the image of women I describe above is not sensible.

Back in 2005 a dialogue took place in an interview I conducted with a 68-year-old woman, who at the time came to the free reading and writing classes offered by the local education authorities in Izmir:

I asked her, "Why did you wait such a long time to start learning how to read and write?"

She replied, "Oh, my father! He did not let me go to school."

"But, when you got a bit older, what happened?", I said.

She answered, "My brother did not let me learn."

"Didn't you get married?", I asked.

"I did", she said, "but then, my husband did not let me learn how to read and write."

I was amazed by her answers and I could not help but ask: "How come you managed to come to these classes now, then?"

She answered in tears: "All three are dead now!"

These two anecdotes, these two images made me realise that I needed to come to terms with reality and not make generalisations about the women of Turkey.

As academics, for the sake of analytical purposes we may tend to generalise so that we can theorise. However, I learnt there and then that I should always remember that 'the typical Turkish woman' did not exist. In my work, I realised I have alluded to the distinctions and differences between women of different classes, backgrounds - urban or rural, or from different regions.

Why did I remember these anecdotes now? Because I thought of how there are so many different types of womanhood simultaneously exist.

Sunday 4 March 2012, I was zapping through the TV channels and came across a programme on Really entitled Sun, Sex and Holiday Madness. The programme is a documentary about young British holidaymakers in Magaluf - a place where they can "get away from the realities of life in the UK". These young people stay there, work during the week and party at the weekends for as long as they can, with not much intention of coming back to the UK.

One of the people interviewed is a twenty-something woman with a drinking problem. As she puts it she feels 'depressed' without sufficient vodka intake. She does not remember herself being sober much and her main reason of being in Magaluf is to forget a bad break-up back home.

What was interesting about this woman was not only her apparent drinking problem, but the way she verbalised her sexual choices: "One time is a shag; twice is a relationship; third time I better marry the guy!" I was captivated not so much by her sexual independence, but rather the vulnerability she revealed as she talked about her life dependent on alcohol.

I turned the TV off feeling puzzled and thinking about the many women from around the world - dead (as a result of violent acts like being stoned for falling in love with the wrong person) or alive (yet still not able to be heard or seen).

I then remembered the recent news story about the two sisters who cut off their younger sibling's hair as a punishment for kissing a white man. A quick look on the website of The International Campaign to Stop 'Honour' Killings made me remember how unique and distinct women are and how varied women's relationship with sexuality is.

Let us do a bit of Amelie (from the 2001 film by Jean Pierre Jeunet) and sit on the roof top, think of how many women are doing what at this moment as the world celebrates womanhood: at exactly the time I am typing this blog, worldometer.info shows that within the first minute of Monday 5 March 2012, 258 women gave birth in the world. It is perhaps a rough number but every single time the figures fascinate me.

Perhaps, then, some women are on their computers, some women are having sex, some are fighting, some are scared, some happy; some being beaten; some working; some in pain; some not...

There are so many reasons to celebrate womanhood and so many reasons to think about women. As I finish typing this blog the time is six minutes past midnight and the figure on women who has given birth within the first six minutes of the new day has already gone up from 258 to 2,035. ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1258453 2012-02-06T17:41:57-05:00 2012-04-07T05:12:01-04:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/ http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/17/uea-introduces-women-islam-media-first-in-uk_n_1209995.html?ref=uk-universities, UEA's new final year degree module, has received a lot of media attention and for this reason I decided to write this blog and to provide a summary of what has been said and done over the last few weeks. Some may read this as a text that details how I set the module up and some may think of it as a response to some of the topics covered in the media about the module.

As the School of Film and Television Studies we are committed to trying out the new and we are enthusiastic in exploring issues that are controversial including celebrity, crime television, wild life documentaries and animal rights. As a School committed to internationalisation we explore in our research and teaching issues in world cinemas and popular television from across the world; from Turkey to Japan.

In the first session of Women, Islam and Media (which is now on its fourth week and proving to be a successful module with a group of highly enthusiastic students who are very much keen on discussing the themes and media texts of the module) I have asked the students to draw me a picture of a 'Muslim woman' by giving me some keywords. This they kindly did: and the picture that emerged was of oppressed women, in veils, in a black dress. Dark and silent were recurring words and there was nothing with any positive connotations. This is precisely the task of the module: to understand where this image in our minds come from and how this is related to the media and, more importantly, why?

My primary focus to develop a deeper understanding of the image of Islam's relationship to women and how it gets depicted in the media. My intention, therefore, is neither to darken the image nor to improve it, but rather to understand what gives rise to it. It is important to contextualise prevalent understandings of women, Islam and the media and to understand the way in which events are categorised and represented. It is all too easy for people to take sides in response to a news story - and I am not judging whether they are correct to take one side or another. I am not promoting a particular agenda, but seeking, through an academic critical intervention, to facilitate greater understanding of the issues. People will then make their own judgements.

Putting on a new a module upon such controversial and delicate topic as Women, Islam and the Media and teaching on it is a challenging task. I wanted to get to the heart of how women and Islam have been characterized and perceived in the media from around the world. Typical images or stories include the veil, which has political and social resonances varying from one country to another and 'honour' crimes, virginity tests, female genital mutilation, which are acts of violence typically justified as integral to tradition and religion.

To explore these issues, Women, Islam and Media has been set up as a Final Year optional module for students who are interested in understanding and critically analysing the complex relationship between these three topics. In putting on optional modules, the School of Film and Television Studies at UEA follows a research-led teaching process in which modules arise from the research and writing interests of teaching staff. The module is an outcome of my individual research interests particularly on two topics: the representation of 'honour' crimes in the media and the political implications of the concept of the veil in the media.

Classes cover a range of topics such as the political and religious resonance of the veil; the significance of 'orientalism' to media studies; representations of consequences of arranged marriage in television; honour based-violence and media; Islam and the representation of women in Middle Eastern film and television (covering issues like virginity testing and female genital mutilation); the representation of gender politics and Islam in television advertisements.

In exploring these concepts and issues we use documentary films by Women Make Movies including They Call Me Muslim (Ferrero, 2006) [about different perceptions on veiling in Iran and in France]; Love, Honour and Disobey (Khanum, 2005) [about domestic violence and Muslim women in the UK); Unveiled Views (Sotorra, 2009) [which questions whether Muslim women need 'saving' or whether they are in fact already independent and modern women]; as well as films including the documentary on 'honour' crimes Vendetta Song (Kaftan, 2005) and fiction films like Lemon Tree (Riklis, 2008) [to discuss the relationship between the female body and how it represents the nation]; Persepolis (Paranaud and Satrapi, 2007) [to discuss the notions of orientalism and representation of women of Iran].

The module so far has been a fascinating experience and it has proven to produce so many fruitful discussion with a great group of students. So I send my gratitude to the students on the module who are turning this into an amazing teaching, learning and thinking experience. ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.1173596 2012-01-02T19:00:00-05:00 2012-03-03T05:12:01-05:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/
Where does this obsession with the idea of owning the rights to the body of a woman come from? As Simone de Beauvoir wrote in The Second Sex: 'In breaking the hymen man takes possession of the feminine body more intimately than by a penetration that leaves it intact; in the irreversible act of defloration he makes that body unequivocally a passive object.' In popular language the image is so clear - to take her flower from a woman, means to destroy her virginity; and this expression has given origin to the word 'defloration'.

On the one hand, the white dress in many cultures signify the purity of the bride; the red ribbon worn as a belt on the white wedding dress implies virginity in Turkish culture, for instance. In some countries there are still cases where on the morning after the wedding, the bloodstained sheets are displayed before relatives and friends by the groom to confirm that he 'deflowered' the virgin bride. Women are tortured, raped or killed in the name of 'honour' if they are 'dirtied' before marriage. Religious beliefs and traditions are adjusted and interpreted in ways to justify violent acts upon women. It is relatively recent that in Indonesia the state was thinking about imposing a virginity test on girls before they could attend state-funded schools.

On the other hand, as the recent film by Therese Shechter How to Lose Your Virginity highlights in the US girls are auctioning their virginity; or women are able to purchase artificial virginity hymen for thirty dollars. The film emphasizes that female virginity has been 'restored' through surgery, fetishized by porn and commoditized by popular culture.

Indeed, there is a considerable body of films, which focus on the concept of virginity testing as a form of violence. In Catherine Breillat's astonishing 2001 film Fat Girl (À ma sœur) the young girl's parents are suspicious about her losing her virginity before marriage. On their way to the hospital Elena and her mother are violently attacked and killed and her sister Anais is raped, by a man. The film ends with Anais looking directly at the camera as though she questions the purpose of virginity testing in an environment where rape is not far away.

Nadine Labaki's 2007 film Caramel tells the story of five Lebanese women, who work or meet in a beauty salon in Beirut. Nisrine has her hymen stitched back at the hospital as it poses a problem for her forthcoming marriage. In some cultures, sexual intercourse before marriage burdens a woman with a vulnerable past.

A 1986 film, which has recently been adopted into a popular TV series in Turkey, What is Fatmagul's Mistake? attempts to critique male dominance on the female body; rape and virginity. The story is based on the story of Fatmagul, who is raped by a group of five men. The blame is put on the poorest one of the five men, who ends up having to marry her to escape imprisonment. Yet, he does not value her because he thinks she is 'dirtied' and hence 'impure'.

There is endless number of films that take their stories from real life. There are endless number of women around the world who suffer and remain or who are made to remain silent about their plight. It is a crime to test virginity of women. Just like there is no honour in killing or torturing people in the name of 'honour', there is no honour in testing women for virginity. There are also news articles every so often about women finding death as the ultimate solution. But at times we even read about virginity tests done on the corpses of women who committed suicide.

Virginity testing cannot and should not be justified under the category of tradition. All traditions are always changing; they are never static. Therefore to say that you wish them not to change is an act of will. Fictional stories in films as well as real ones like Samira Ibrahim's success, attempt to lead to self-reflection, which change the law or may change the violent and unjustifiable acts hidden behind tradition.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.1165262 2011-12-22T19:00:00-05:00 2012-02-21T05:12:02-05:00

Dr Eylem Atakav http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-eylem-atakav/ EastEnders Christmas trailer online which promises fire, explosions and fights between life and death for Albert Square residents. Nina Wadia, who plays Zainab, has said that the Christmas script "shocked the life out of her".

Over the last year one of the most effective and touching storylines has shown Zainab coming to terms with her past and significantly changing her present through divorce and getting re-married to Yusef, who attempted to kill her years ago in Pakistan as punishment for her affair with Masood.

Yusef, who is dominating and abusive, finally becomes uncontrollable in the Christmas episode. As he carefully plans his revenge, he becomes increasingly violent - physically, verbally and psychologically. Zainab realises the mistake she has made by falling into his trap, divorcing Masood and agreeing to return to Pakistan.

She is abused, beaten and cannot tell anyone, but writes a note to Masood asking for help. Whether Masood will be able to rescue her or not will be revealed as the Christmas plot unfolds.

As Zainab battles to escape the clutches of Yusef, the EastEnders plot explores the idea of a woman being perceived as the object of the husband who owns her and who is responsible for her desire and chastity.

It is no coincidence that EastEnders has picked up on the issue of 'honour' based violence. Recent news reports about women being tortured, abused or killed in the name of 'honour' have brought the problem to media attention.

Earlier this month, a report revealed that UK police recorded at least 2,823 so-called honour attacks last year.

Diana Nammi, from the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation which obtained the figures, said she suspects the real picture is "far darker". She rightly pointed out that victims of these violent acts are not only from Muslim communities - even though the media always seems to think they are.

In a BBC news interview she says that "a violent act is a violent act. A crime is a crime. We need to act equally".

The point that Nammi makes here is an important one because religion or tradition should not be thought of as justification for practices including honour-based violence. Instead, institutional practices must be targeted to think about the reasons behind violent practices.

EastEnders is not afraid to display violent acts on the small screen. The BBC fulfils its public service remit by acting as a support mechanism with the message "If you are affected by Zainab's story on today's episode call BBC Action Line" at the end of each episode.

This idea of television depicting issues of violence against women and providing its audience with support is not unique to the UK. But the way that television functions in different countries is interesting.

In May 2005 Isik Birgul appeared on the television show Woman's Voice in Istanbul after fleeing her abusive husband.

During the live show she talked about her forced marriage and how she was abused by her husband for over 20 years. The station demanded protection for Birgul in her hometown. However, on her return, she was shot dead by her 14-year-old son.

According to press reports, she had previously sought help from police, who directed her to the TV channel. She was the first woman to be killed for appearing on television to voice her concerns.

Sadly it is hard to argue that Turkish TV stations provide women - as audiences and citizens - with a knowledge of help mechanisms such as basic laws and information about the way political systems function.

These programs hardly ever see women's issues as social problems. Instead these problems are individualised and do not go beyond sharing sensational experiences on the small screen.
With its dark Christmas episode and Zainab's moving story I hope that EastEnders will make a difference in the fight against unjustifiable violent acts against women. ]]>