ISTANBUL - Signature text of women lawyers against the silence and discrediting after Cavidan Soykan declared that she was subjected to psychological violence when she was the assistant of Kerem Altıparmak: "We call the institutions to carry out an effective investigation, ex officio and immediately, including suspending relations in accordance with the Istanbul Convention.

 

Dr. Cavidan Soykan, who works in the fields of human rights and refugee law, declared that had been subjected to psychological violence when she was working as Dr. Kerem Altıparmak’s assistant and colleague. A group of human rights lawyers and academics made a statement about the developments and announced that they started a petition. The statement was published with the headline "We find it necessary to examine widespread male violence in the academy immediately.’’ It was pointed out that the woman who declared that she was exposed to violence was "tried to perpetrate" and Kerem Altıparmak tried to be kept away from being investigated by individuals and institutions who were not the subject of the process.

 

‘Women are seated first on the interrogation chair’

 

In the statement, which pointed out that women were seated on the interrogation chair first, the statements such as "Can you be a little sensitive?", "Could it be that way to you?", "Why would he do this only to you?"; It is impossible for us to accept it with our identities as lawyers, women, and human rights defenders. Sometimes as a result of gender inequality, sometimes due to hierarchical power structures, people who underestimate the trauma experienced by people who are subjected to psychological violence in the workplace, and who deem the bringing up of such traumas worthless as ‘mobbing’ and may cause even more powerful psychological, economic and social destructions as violations of rights.”

 

The practice of ‘questioning the statement of the woman’ instead of ‘the statement of the woman is essential’

 

The following statements took place in the continuation: "We observe with amazement that the "statement of the woman is essential" principle has been replaced by the practice of "questioning the statement of the woman." The male justice-oriented judicial mechanism, which we criticize, is run by people who defend human rights. In our discussion processes outside the courts, we find the interpretations that reproduce the ‘male justice’ tradition dangerous. In male violence against women, we want to remind once again the destructive effect of justifying man and labeling the woman with the words "crazy", "problematic", "speaking constantly", "objecting to everything" on the principle of equality.

 

Violence, whichever man is committed, we are against

 

Men who describe themselves with adjectives such as 'honorable', 'hardworking', 'productive', 'patient', 'respectable' and so on are almost automatically given assurances based on these attributes, such as 'he does not do it', 'misunderstood', 'exaggerated'. We know that giving support basically criminalizes those who have been subjected to violence. To these social judgments we witness; we oppose by writing, speaking, advocating, organizing.

 

Working conditions in the field of human rights are not a rose garden without thorns. We, as lawyers, academics, women working in human rights organizations and adopting a way of life to be able to act consistent with what they have learned in the theory of women's human rights in this field, we want it to be known that male academics or lawyers can also be practitioners of psychological violence and violate their specialized rights without hesitation.

 

We announce the statement of Cavidan Soykan, who declared that he was subjected to psychological violence, by saying, "Shout, let everyone hear", unlike those who says, "don’t let it go any further". In our opinion, it means to exist as women working in the field of advocacy, defending, researching, discussing and transferring their experiences to each other; It also includes the equal participation of men in academic or professional meetings, getting the right to speak, getting the material and social value of our savings and efforts at an equal level, and in short, the struggle for "acceptance".

 

Second victimization should not be experienced as rights defenders

 

As rights defenders who remind the police, courts, and relevant units of the state of their obligation to protect at every opportunity, they are consistent with this statement; Judging the act of complaining, the form and time of the action, even the first step, and the 'second victimization' should not be experienced by the person making the statement. We have to act in accordance with the principle of "protection", avoid all kinds of practices without judgmental exception and make efforts to create mechanisms to protect her.

 

Everyone must comply with the concrete obligations imposed by this principle

 

As the undersigned women human rights lawyers; We remind everyone who commented by following the process, together with the principle of "the statement of women is essential" and the obligation of protection arising from the Istanbul Convention, which is the source of the principle. We invite everyone to act in accordance with the concrete obligations imposed by this principle, and we demand that the institutions, of which Kerem Altıparmak, is a member or manager, who has been complained about and working in the field of human rights law, initiate an independent, impartial and effective investigation process without delay. We request the necessary precautions to protect Cavidan Soykan, including the suspension of Kerem Altıparmak's relations, ex officio, and from the institutions that we expect an effective investigation to be initiated, to prepare a directive / guidebook on the subject immediately."

 

Names of lawyers signed in the text:

 

Arın Gül Yeniaras, Aryen Turan, Atiye Arıkan, Ayla Özdemir, Aynur Tuncel Yazgan, Ayşe Acinikli, Ayşe Şehriban Demirel, Ayşe Zilan, Başak Ertür, Benan Molu, Berfin Arslan, Berfin Karaşah, Beste Salman, Betül Çetin, Bilge Topçu, Burcu Konakçı, Candan Dumrul, Cemre Topal, Cevriye Aydın, Çiğdem Akbulut, Çiğdem Kozan, Dersin Erişen, Deniz Yazgan, Deniz Yıldız, Dilan Coşkun, Döndü Ceren Şimşek, Döndü Kurşunoğlu, Duru Yavan, Duygu Saylan, Ebru Akkal, Ebru Demirtepe, Eda Aslı Şeran, Ekin Yeter, Elif Ceylan Özsoy, Elif Yetigin, Emel Diril, Esin Bozovalı, Evin Konuk, Evin Naz Ercan, Eylem Arzu Kayaoğlu, Eylem Sarıoğlu, Ezgi Güngördü, Fatma Elif Koru, Fatma Elveren, Fatoş Hacıvelioğlu, Figen Alp, Gizem Koç, Gülşah Kaya, Gülşah Kurt, Gülşen Uzuner, Gülyeter Aktepe, Günçe Çetin, Hacer Filiz Orhan, Halime Şenli, Harika Günay Karataş, Hatice İslamoğlu, Hazal Aydın, Heval Yıldız Karasu, Hülya Yıldırım, Hürmüz Biçer, İlayda Doğa Karaman, İlke Işık, İlknur Alcan, İpek Bozkurt, İrem Aki, Kubra Ekmen, Kübra Özbiçer Büyükiz, Leyla Çelik, Leyla Kaplan Kertiş, Mehtap Işık, Melike Polat, Mevhibe Canan Arın, Mualla Buket Soygüt, Nagihan Bulduk, Nergiz Görnaz, Neva Övünç Öztürk, Nevroz Uysal, Neziha Eken, Nilüfer Irmak Özkan, O. Meriç Eyüboğlu, Özge Serdar, Özgür Erbaş Rabia Gündoğmuş, Rengin Ergül, Selin Nakıpoğlu, Semra Balyan, Senem Doğanoğlu, Sevcan Çamlıdağ, Sevil Aracı Bek, Sevinç Linda Hocaoğulları, Sezin Uçar, Sinejan Kut, Sinem Coşkun Sinem Hun, Songül Yıldız, Şaziye Cantepe, Şenay Tavuz, Şerife Ceren Uysal, Şevin Kaya, Şeyda Akpınar, Tuğba Yılmaz, Tuğçe Duygu Köksal, Ulviye Deniz Ayvaz, Ümit Büyükdağ, Yağmur Kavak, Yasemen Öztürkcan, Zehra Şahin Yeşil, Zekiye Karaca Boz, Zelal Pelin Doğan, Zeliha Gizem Sayın, Zeynep Kıvılcım.

 

The text is still open for sign and signatures keep coming.