Women Protesting on Streets: ‘Who Protect the Rapists?’

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Women staged a demonstration on the streets of İstanbul, Ankara and Batman yesterday (May 17) evening with the slogan "No bail for rape" and protested for the 14 year-old G. being sexually abused and forced to sex work in Batman province.

In İstanbul women gathered in Söğütlüçeşme neighborhood in Kadıköy district and marched with huge black banners reading "Who is protecting the rapists in Batman?" while others made a statement for the press on Sakarya street in Turkey's capital city of Ankara. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara MP Ayşe Acar Başaran was among the women participating in the protest in Ankara.

Women chanted slogans like "Rape is a crime, has no bail", "there is rape in Batman", "Men rape, judiciary protects, media, society and Batman remain silent", "Jin jiyan azadî" (Women, life, freedom)", "bodies of children are no warfield", "bodies of women are no warfield" and "Children might remain silent, you shouldn't".

Ankara

Reading out the press statement in Ankara, Yurdagül Çabat, pointed out to the fact that only three of the children's rapists were arrested and asked:

"Is it surprising that all this has happened under circumstances of State of Emergency in which there are no women's organizations or municipality units to support women and children against male violence"?.

HDP's Başaran also stated: "We demand an explanation from the state. We call on the Government: You may have closed our organizations, you can lock the doors but the women's fight is not put up in the buildings but on the streets like today".

İstanbul

Women distributed leaflets reading "What is happening in Batman, who protects those raping children and their accomplices" in İstanbul's district of Kadıköy. The people around supported the demonstration with acclamations.

Women were also welcomed with acclamations at the Kalkedon Square where people go on alternate hunger strike in support of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who have been on hunger strike for 70 days.

Batman

Women opened a banner reading "Don't remain silent against increasing scream of children in Batman. There cannot be bail for rape" in the demonstration organized upon call by the Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJS) in southeastern province of Batman.

Following the statement for the press, the police officers said "I will initiate a legal action against you. You are committing crime", which saw the response "Isn't rape a crime? Do whatever you want" by the women.

Making a statement on behalf of the women, TJA activist Fatma Kaşan said "If no arrest takes place out, we will conclude that the legal proceedings are not carried out properly. Statutory decrees have been put into force with the declaration of State of Emergency. These practices hit women first. All women organizations were subjected to intense operations and a large number of arrests took place. They close women organizations because women pursue these incidents". (ÇT/TK/DG)