We will not acquiesce to male-state violence

Women defied police obstructions to mark the 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and march in protest at violence against women and women murders in.

The police tried to block the way of women who had assembled to march yesterday at Beyoğlu Tünel Square citing a ban by Beyoğlu Sub-Provincial Governate. However, the women set out on a march to Galatasaray Square in defiance of all obstructions. CHP parliamentarians Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Ali Şeker along with the HDP’s Pervin Buldan participated in the march, on which the banner reading, “We do not acquiesce to state violence and we do not abandon our lives or our struggle” was unfurled. The march on which participants sported purple pennants, photographs of detained women politicians and photographs of murdered women along with banners reading, “Women together are strong. We want to live. We want life’, ended in front of the Netherlands Consulate. Following the march, a press statement was read in Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish. Özengül Ergün, reading a statement on behalf of the 25 November Platform, said, “We as women who are at the receiving end of violence at police stations do not acquiesce to the abortion ban. We do not acquiesce even though you hold our mayors and members of parliament in jail. We do not acquiesce even though you have introduced backwardness into educational books. We steadfastly do not remain silent and acquiesce in the face of the male violence that surrounds our lives and whose normalisation is wished for, state violence under the state of emergency with an increased dose of enmity towards women and all kinds of practices of fascism.” Özengül wound up by saying, “We do not acquiesce to the laws and judiciary that try to imprison our lives within motherhood, the family and violence, the men that dictate to us the kind of lives we are to live, nor the single man that is protecting these men.”

Do away with reconciliation

Women members of the United Metalworkers Union assembled yesterday in Kartal Square and unfurled a placard reading, “No to violence against women.” The statement that was made included the comment, “We want the immediate abandonment of the power to conduct marriages given to Muftis’ Offices and of the reconciliation system.”

The Human Rights Association Istanbul Branch Human Rights’ Commission sent the Istanbul Convention of which Turkey is a cosignatory to women MPs of parties having a parliamentary group to be read out to male MPs.

We do not recognise the bans

Women, assembling on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, displayed their reaction to the extended state of emergency, the Mufti’s office law, the reconciliation formula in divorces and Ankara Provincial Governate’s ban on LGBTI events. Women, gathering in front of the Çankaya municipal buildings in the capital Ankara, staged a march to Sakarya Street to the accompaniment of slogans and placards. In the press statement made in the area in which some 500 women had congregated, stating that the law, bans and police violence could not hinder the women’s struggle, reactions were expressed in opposition to the single-man regime, the powers to conduct marriages given to Muftis’ Offices and the education system. Opposition was voiced to the extended state of emergency with it stated, “Women who come into confrontation with law enforcement forces and are arrested and detained are threatened with harassment and rape, and violence against women in prisons is ever more prevalent.” One of the bans on top of bans to which women voiced opposition was the ban placed by Ankara Governate on LGBTI events citing “social sensitivities and sensibilities” and “protecting general health and morality.” Women, deeming this ban that was imposed last week to be “discriminatory,” said, “The anti-women laws over which you raised your hands in unison have no force for us and we will not abandon our rights that we have fought for years to win.”

PURPLE CHAIN IN MERSİN

Women participating on a march staged by CHP Mersin Province Women’s Sections walked carrying a chain woven out of a purple tulle to the Free Children’s Park. Women, carrying photographs of female victims of violence, chanted the slogans, “Don’t remain silent over violence. Don’t participate in the crime,” “Don’t stay silent. If you do your turn will come” and “This is just the beginning. On with the struggle.”

PROTEST IN MAKE-UP

Karabük University students Sinem Ceyhan, Neslihan Özmen and Selinay Türgegün protested violence against women using make-up symbolising violence and with black tape over their mouths. The women, having bandaged their heads and applied purple make-up to their eyes, distributed brochures entitled, “No to violence against women.”

MAKE WAY FOR WOMEN

Responding to a call by voluntary tourism ambassador Fatma Esin Tuna, women arrived by car to assemble in front of Tokat’s Gaziosmanpaşa Stadium and created a purple convoy. Women attached purple ribbons to their wrists and the side mirrors of the cars. Tuna said, “Please make way for women. Let women move forward.”

THEATRICAL REACTION

On the second march staged in Bolu by the Confederation of Public Sector Unions, women marched from Demokrasi Square to Kent Square. Abant İzzet Baysal University students sported photographs of women who had been murdered in Bolu. Students staged a play devoted to violence against women in the square.

WE OBJECT

On the march staged by CHP Nilüfer Municipality and Nilüfer City Council Women’s Assembly, women walked carrying placards reading, “We violently object to child-age marriage, the exploitation of labour, injustice and the Mufti’s Office law.” Participating on the march were Nilüfer Municipality Social Support Services Director Seden Bozbey, Nilüfer Municipality Assembly women members and CHP Bursa MP Nurhayat Altaca Kayışoğlu.

VIOLENCE PROTESTED

Members of Eskişehir Women’s Assembly, gathering in front of a mall, protested violence against women. Ceren Çavdar said, “With women who want a divorce being killed, there is an attempt for a reconciliation law to be introduced to make divorce difficult. We want a life, not reconciliation.”

Women who assembled in front of the Özgecan Memorial in Fethiye sub-province marched as far as Beşkaza Square. Here, women left carnations at the memorial to the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Supporting the march were the Sub-Province Health Directorate Early Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Education Centre Unit, the Blue Bird Arts and Solidarity Association, the Turkish Women's Union’s Fethiye Branch, the Purple Pedals Bicycle Group, the Nomads and Turkmen Association, the chairs of the AKP, CHP and MHP’s women’s sections and representatives and members of various civil society organisations.

Social service centre opened in Kadıköy

A “Social Service Centre” was opened in Kadıköy on the 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Participating at the opening of the centre was Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu, wife of CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The opening of Rasimpaşa Social Service Centre was conducted with Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu, Aykurt Nuhoğlu and the guests all cutting a blue ribbon together. Kılıçdaroğlu, taking a tour of the building, informed herself of the function of the centre. Kılıçdaroğlu expressed her happiness at the opening of such a centre.

Centre named after Değirmenci

A building that had been used as a police station and had been refurbished by the municipality was converted into the Avcılar Municipality Women’s and Family Solidarity Centre. The name of woman murder victim Gülsevin Buket Değirmenci was given to the centre. Avcılar Mayor Dr. Handan Toprak Benli said they would do their utmost to keep alive the name of Değirmenci, the victim of the abhorrent incident that occurred while she was working as a family doctor, and for similar painful events not to happen.

Wish tree fills with messages in Ataşehir

Ataşehir Mayoralty staged a No to Violence Against Women event to mark the 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Women who participated in the event at Ataşehir Amfili Park left messages reading, “No to Violence Against Women” on the wish tree. Participating in the function supported by Ataşehir Mayor Battal İlgezdi and women’s education-creche centres within the municipality were Deputy Ataşehir Mayor Orhan Çerkez and the Women and Family Branch Director Şehnaz Yabar.