Hikmet Tunç

VAN - Meryema Aslan, founding member of the STAR Women’s Association, who carries out the Van part of the ‘’We Brake Violence’’ project, which was initiated against all kinds of violence against women, emphasized that the fight against violence is not only the work of the association, and called: ‘’If we join forces, we can claim our right to life.’’

STAR Women’s Association, which was established in March 2020 against all kinds of violence against women in Van and held its First Ordinary Congress on April 7, welcomes the new era with new projects. In this context, the association is the executive of the Mor Salkım Women’s Solidarity Association’s ‘’We Brake Violence’’ project in Van. Within the scope of the project, works are carried out in Bursa, Van, Edirne, Trabzon and Mersin. Meryema Aslan, one of the founding members of the association, spoke about the project.

‘We want to be with all women’

Pointing out that gender discrimination has peaked in the 21st century in the country and that the violence policies of the government are at the root of this, Meryema stated that the mechanisms that women can apply for a long time due to these policies have been eliminated in Van. Stating that the lack of institutions fighting against violence in the city has been experienced for a long time, Meryema said: ‘’With the new period, we started out by explaining our association to women in the neighborhoods. We want to be there for all women in need. We set ourselves the goal of reaching all women regardless of language, religion or race. We tried to come together with women in every field, in the neighborhood markets, on the streets, at home, rather than being closed to the association building in the city center, and our work continues.’’

Only one shelter in the city of over 1.000.000 inhabitants

In her words, Meryema drew attention to the importance of acting together with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the fight against violence, and said that with the awareness of this, they are trying to develop a joint struggle network with all NGOs in Turkey. Meryema said: ‘’For this reason, we are the executive of Mor Salkım’s ‘We Brake Violence’ project from Edirne to Van as STAR Women’s Association in Van. The aim of the project is to reach all women. As all non-governmental organizations, we are based on working together against sexual, economic, psychological and all kinds of violence against women. We are at the shelters convention of Mor Çatı. At this point, we are aware of the lack of resources. Only in the city there is one shelter affiliated to Violence Prevention and Monitoring Center (ŞÖNİM). In fact, we know that shelters are insufficient, that shelters are not the answer to women’s needs.’’

Drivers’ interest in the ‘We Brake Violence’ project

Noting that the “We Brake Violence” project covers the taxi drivers in the city, Meryema stated that they acted together with the Van Drivers and Automobile Craft Chamber in this context. Stating that they are the executive director of the Van part of the project, Meryema said: ‘’We determined 50 drivers from five taxi ranks in Van. We identified 41 locations across Van. Because, especially with the spring months, it becomes a city visited by many tourists. We have specially arranged for 50 drivers to come to our trainings. It is a project carried out together with the driver’s chamber of each province. It is a project that only covers taxi drivers. But the demand was far beyond that. An incredible effect has developed. We have come to the importance of the need for such a project through the participation requests of the drivers.’’

The project developed with the application of a taxi driver

Pointing out that the project developed on the recommendation of a driver, Meryema said: ‘’The project developed after a driver came to Mor Salkım and said that a customer of him rushed into a taxi and said that she was worried, and that she did not know where to call or where to apply. The woman who is exposed to violence in her home or in another place first tries to get rid of it by calling a taxi to leave that place. After getting on, the woman does not know where to apply in the face of the situation she is exposed to. Therefore, taking into account the suggestion, they realized that women actually had such a need. Because everyone from all segments gets on the taxis.’’

Four-lingual brochures distributed

Meryema said that in addition to the trainings they have given at five ranks so far, they have distributed brochures summarizing the purpose of the project, including the contact numbers to call in the face of violence. Noting that they published the papers in four languages as in Kurdish, Turkish, Persian and English, Meryema said: ‘’Again, by preparing the parts with contact numbers and taxi accessories; We distributed it to the drivers at the taxi ranks and also ensured that they were kept in their vehicles. We created a network of instant intervention by calling the contact numbers of the taxi drivers we contacted immediately after the incident.’’

‘It is important to raise awareness’

Emphasizing that they ‘’want to brake violence’’ with the project, Meryema said: ‘’Our aim is to raise awareness about gender inequality. With violence against women, femicide and child abuse are increasing day by day. We want to reach more segments. We want to produce projects according to the needs of other segments of society. It is an important point that the shopkeepers intervened directly in the face of a child who was a victim with the application of a craft, and that the society is sensitive and that this occurs in men.’’

‘Women can be strengthen with common struggle networks’

Reminding the Van Bar Association's data on sexual crimes against women and children in the last six months, Meryema drew attention to the 4th Judicial Package, which stipulates that "concrete evidence" should be seek in sexual crimes against women and children after the government abolished the Istanbul Convention. Emphasizing that sexual crimes are legitimized with the package, Meryema said: ‘’While we are waiting for laws that protect women, on the contrary, we are living in a period where our gains that we have gained by paying many prices are tried to be taken from us. In the face of this, women can only be strengthened with common struggle networks. If we join forces, we can claim our right to life. Through you, we once again invite all women in the city and its districts to become members of our association.’’