A WOMAN? THEN YOU ARE A SEXUAL OBJECT

Have you ever regretted being born as a female? I am sure that you have confronted with some problems in everywhere in the world, luckily these problems started to dampen gradually in some patriarchal countries like Turkey. If we evaluate the women rights in Turkey, it is inevitable to say that Turkey covered a lot of distance since it was founded. Turkey set a precedent for all Islamic and European countries by giving women the right to vote in 1934. Despite all laws, unfortunately, sometimes they lost their effectiveness in practical life especially some topics like sexual harassment. Sexual harassment and violence are spreading their roots under Turkey uncontrollably. Turkey should solve this problem immediately by education in different aspects of human life.

   

Gradually, Turkey could invade the strict borders between women and men in the social, political and economic life as an Islamic country. Turkey accomplished to convert some Arabic customs, which are indeed for women, according to today’s contemporary and civilized world. However, the events in last year exposed that in some areas, men unfortunately still see women as a sexual object. 

It is grieving and devastating that Turkey couldn’t unravel this problem completely, even though the trails of the harsh protests against raping, make feel that Turkey was aware of the problem. Many people condemned the sexual harassment and abuse to women. Their awareness raised after the last year’s grim news including Özgecan. 

The rape of Özgecan ignited all the flames, which were ready to burn. Özgecan Aslan, a 19 years old university student. She was murdered when she resisted a rape attempt on 11 February 2015 on a minibus in Mersin. Sexual harassment of Özgecan Aslan caused deep spite and mope, which are still sustained, in following days. The case became a cause célèbre, which prompted people to take to the streets and protest the government’s insufficient response to sexual harassment and women violence in Turkey. 

The case and anger wreaked havoc when the government alleged that it is normal for being raped for a non-conservative woman. Some bigoted and sectarian people claimed that it was Özgecan’s fault to be raped in minibus because of wearing a skirt. The discourses of the government lead us to this statement, “The women who wear skirts, should be ready to be raped.” It is very disappointing that our clothes choices are associated with being abused still in the 21st century.

Twitter and Instagram were flooded with tweets and photos, which memorialize Özgecan Aslan’s death and condemn the sexual harassment and violence to women in Turkey. Also, the questioning headlines were shared in media as “ Should capital punishment be implemented?” In addition to these, the case scared women and even men in Turkey. We became scared of using public transportation. The fear of being raped embodied  in women when there’s presence of men or when they wore skirts. Going out in the night reminded us the possibility of being abused. In three months our society turned into a community, which was scared of everything.

 

Moreover, Pippa Becca, an Italian artist, who travel the world with a bridal to cease the war between Israel and Palestine, was raped and murdered in Turkey on 31 March 2007. Unfortunately, the world is covered with these cases, and it is inconceivable to go to a place, where a human being isn’t abused. Therefore, I would like to say that Turkey isn’t an exception, for it experiences the same thing all other countries do. The general reason of this problem is suppressed sexuality that comes along with different beliefs and common sense.

Sexuality is seen and perceived as a taboo in Turkey.  People are scared of talking and discussing their sexual problems or sexual health. As a result, men try to reveal and supply their sexual needs, which were suppressed for so long, by using force or choosing the way to rape. These problems start in adolescence when they can’t get any reply from their parents when they inquire about sexuality. Parents try to drop the subject by asserting that it is a sin.

Education plays a key role in stopping this problem. In the school, the students should be convinced to talk with counselors shamelessly about their sexual problems. The sexual health lessons should be given by the experts. Parents ought to be taught that sexuality is a need. Sexual harassment in Turkey will be solved if the society breaks his taboos about sexuality.

 

USED CITIES

·       Asquith, Christina. "Turkish Men Get Away With Murder." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 May 2016.

·       Daoud, Kamel. "Black in Algeria? Then You’d Better Be Muslim." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 May 2016. Web. 17 May 2016.

Emir Kırdan

A WOMAN? THEN YOU ARE A SEXUAL OBJECT

Have you ever regretted being born as a female? I am sure that you have confronted with some problems in everywhere in the world, luckily these problems started to dampen gradually in some patriarchal countries like Turkey. If we evaluate the women rights in Turkey, it is inevitable to say that Turkey covered a lot of distance since it was founded. Turkey set a precedent for all Islamic and European countries by giving women the right to vote in 1934. Despite all laws, unfortunately, sometimes they lost their effectiveness in practical life especially some topics like sexual harassment. Sexual harassment and violence are spreading their roots under Turkey uncontrollably. Turkey should solve this problem immediately by education in different aspects of human life.

   

Gradually, Turkey could invade the strict borders between women and men in the social, political and economic life as an Islamic country. Turkey accomplished to convert some Arabic customs, which are indeed for women, according to today’s contemporary and civilized world. However, the events in last year exposed that in some areas, men unfortunately still see women as a sexual object. 

It is grieving and devastating that Turkey couldn’t unravel this problem completely, even though the trails of the harsh protests against raping, make feel that Turkey was aware of the problem. Many people condemned the sexual harassment and abuse to women. Their awareness raised after the last year’s grim news including Özgecan. 

The rape of Özgecan ignited all the flames, which were ready to burn. Özgecan Aslan, a 19 years old university student. She was murdered when she resisted a rape attempt on 11 February 2015 on a minibus in Mersin. Sexual harassment of Özgecan Aslan caused deep spite and mope, which are still sustained, in following days. The case became a cause célèbre, which prompted people to take to the streets and protest the government’s insufficient response to sexual harassment and women violence in Turkey. 

The case and anger wreaked havoc when the government alleged that it is normal for being raped for a non-conservative woman. Some bigoted and sectarian people claimed that it was Özgecan’s fault to be raped in minibus because of wearing a skirt. The discourses of the government lead us to this statement, “The women who wear skirts, should be ready to be raped.” It is very disappointing that our clothes choices are associated with being abused still in the 21st century.

Twitter and Instagram were flooded with tweets and photos, which memorialize Özgecan Aslan’s death and condemn the sexual harassment and violence to women in Turkey. Also, the questioning headlines were shared in media as “ Should capital punishment be implemented?” In addition to these, the case scared women and even men in Turkey. We became scared of using public transportation. The fear of being raped embodied  in women when there’s presence of men or when they wore skirts. Going out in the night reminded us the possibility of being abused. In three months our society turned into a community, which was scared of everything.

 

Moreover, Pippa Becca, an Italian artist, who travel the world with a bridal to cease the war between Israel and Palestine, was raped and murdered in Turkey on 31 March 2007. Unfortunately, the world is covered with these cases, and it is inconceivable to go to a place, where a human being isn’t abused. Therefore, I would like to say that Turkey isn’t an exception, for it experiences the same thing all other countries do. The general reason of this problem is suppressed sexuality that comes along with different beliefs and common sense.

Sexuality is seen and perceived as a taboo in Turkey.  People are scared of talking and discussing their sexual problems or sexual health. As a result, men try to reveal and supply their sexual needs, which were suppressed for so long, by using force or choosing the way to rape. These problems start in adolescence when they can’t get any reply from their parents when they inquire about sexuality. Parents try to drop the subject by asserting that it is a sin.

Education plays a key role in stopping this problem. In the school, the students should be convinced to talk with counselors shamelessly about their sexual problems. The sexual health lessons should be given by the experts. Parents ought to be taught that sexuality is a need. Sexual harassment in Turkey will be solved if the society breaks his taboos about sexuality.

 

USED CITIES

·       Asquith, Christina. "Turkish Men Get Away With Murder." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 May 2016.

·       Daoud, Kamel. "Black in Algeria? Then You’d Better Be Muslim." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 May 2016. Web. 17 May 2016.