Students enhancing resistance against harassment
ŞERİFE ORUÇ
DİYARBAKIR (DİHA) - After woman students launched a spontaneous night march on May 12th against a harassment incident at the Dicle University campus in Diyarbakır, Turkey, women students are speaking out to say that they have been harassed repeatedly on campus before the eyes of police.
At May 12th night, two women students were walking to their dormitory when two individuals in a car (whose license plate number has been shared on social media) first verbally harassed them, then pulled over and started physically harassing them. Women spontaneously gathered and held a night march in spite of a police barricade designed to stop them. Women at the march, who chanted slogans calling for police off campus, said that harassment is a longstanding issue at Dicle University.
'The mentality has to be changed'
Harasser Hüseyin Aslan was jailed and sent to prison. One of the woman students harassed by Aslan, and witness of incident A.E. said, "He began to harass us verbally. We reacted to him, then he touced and harassed one of our friends. Lots of woman students have been harassed likely before. We are not the first ones. Riot of Ferinaz Xosrawanî in Mahabad, death of Özgecan Aslan in Mersin and such harassments across the country are continuation of male dominant mentality. This mentality has be changed anymore."
Law Faculty second class student named Mehtap Işık said they were frequently harassed at the road from the faculty to dormitory. "Harassment is a reflection of state mentality. The state always sees women guilty. Police and state officials are trying to legalize the deeds of male mentality," added Işık.
'We'll resist until our safety is taken'
Another woman student of the university, Neşe Aydemir, spoke about some harassments and indicated, "We filed criminal complaint to the rectorship for times. Buti our demands and offers have been declined by it. We'll resist until our safety is taken."
Municipality to build a dormitory at city center
The women students have formed a committe for their problems and matters. Meanwhile, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Woman Policies Department Head Yüksel Acer said, "This is a critical matter. The rectorship had taken no preacuations for the woman students. We will increase the number of lights and transportation vehicles. Also, our municipality, run by Democratic Regions Party (DBP) will build a dormitory for the woman students at the city center."
(nt)
