Thousands of Turkish women rebel against sexual violence

Sexual violence is suffered by women around the world. But because fear and shame silence the victims, many acts go unpunished. Sexual harassment is also on the agenda in Turkey. Very few people talk about it - until now: The cruel murder of a young woman has roused the nation.

What happened? On February 11, 20-year-old psychology student Özgecan Aslan disappeared into Mersin, a city on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. Two days later, her body was found in a river. The driver of a minibus to bring Özgecan home had tried to rape the young woman. She struggled - and paid with life. The 26-year-old culprit stabbed her and then burned her, as he now confessed. His father and a friend helped him.

The atrocity triggered a huge wave of protests: nationwide, Turkish women (and a few men) took to the streets to solidarize with the victim and draw attention to the growing violence against women. They are worried, sad and one thing above all: angry. Under the hashtag #sendeanlat ("tell your story too") they share their experiences with others via Twitter - the tweets soon reached the million mark:



In silence, to protect the abusers.Enough! #turkey #tellyourstory #sendeanlat

? Capulcu Tonella (@diehimbeertonis) February 15, 2015

"Hey, my grandfather's age." "The asshole who's my hand in the bus and said" Are you sure about where you're going to? " #tellyourstory

? OutForBeyond (@OutForBeyond) February 16, 2015

Being a woman? N Turkey: Knowing that locking the doors is the first thing you'll ever do in the car # send anl #tellyourstory

? haticeclsl (@haticeclslr) February 15, 2015

Which is flat is yours. " #tellyourstory



? OutForBeyond (@OutForBeyond) February 15, 2015

On February 14 Özgecan was buried in the presence of 5,000 people. Her casket was worn by women - a specialty, as the Guardian reports. Usually, women stay behind the men at Muslim funerals and are quiet while the men are burying the coffin and praying. But despite repeated warnings from the imam, the women refused to resign. No other men's hands should touch Özgecan.

The murder of Özgecan is not an isolated case. Every day, five women are killed in Turkey, reports the Turkish newspaper Todays Zaman. In recent years, the number of sexual assault has quadrupled. The author of the Guardian article takes stock of the following:

"Like the society they live in, women are divided into two groups, not Turkish and Kurdish women, not Muslim and non-Muslim, not even conservatives and liberals." From now on, the deepest divide is between those who defend the silence and status quo and those who refuse to shut up in the face of growing violence against women. "

The group of objectors is growing daily. Turkish society is in turmoil. The pressure on President Erdogan is rising. Finally.





Turkey: Thousands protest proposed bill 'legitimising' child sexual assault in Istanbul (March 2024).



Harassment, turkey, murder, sendeanlat, tellyourstory, özgecan aslan, turkey, women, sexual violence