Woman’s fight saves girls from forced marriage
Ece Çelik - DİYARBAKIR
Dilek Demir, who was forcibly married at the age of 13 and endured years of abuse in her family, has dedicated herself to the fight against child marriage and abuse of girls after assuming an essential role as the head of a local office in a neighborhood in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
After enduring a marriage filled with violence for 16 years, Demir ended her marriage with the support of her children and embarked on a new life. Due to her popularity and the support of the residents of the Muradiye Neighborhood, she was elected as the headman.
Upon taking office, Demir's primary goal was to put an end to families attempting to marry their children at a young age in Diyarbakır. Serving two terms as the local head, she has rescued 40 girls from forced marriages and identified at least 40 children who have been subjected to abuse, and took action in collaboration with the Family and Social Services Ministry.
Demir's life story, which seems like something out of a movie, was recently made into a documentary titled "Dilek Kutusu" (Wish Box). The film has been screened at festivals in more than 10 countries and recently participated in the Golden Boll Film Festival.
"It was the third day of my tenure as the head of the local office. A junk dealer was passing by the front door, and I picked up an old box, had it mounted on the local office's door. When I was first elected ten years ago, people couldn't express their problems. I wanted to learn about someone's troubles, extend a helping hand, even if anonymously. That box worked wonders. Some 40 cases of forcibly married girls were reported anonymously by dropping written notes into that box. We received information about 25 cases of sexually abused children,” Demir told daily Hürriyet.
"We visited the reported locations, and we handed the children over to the care of the state. Fifteen drug addicts also sent letters saying, 'Save me.' At least 80 people's lives have been saved through the reports we received in that box."
Demir stated that she intends to run for the position of local head for the third time in the upcoming local elections to continue her fight.
