Only recently the “Purple Roof” (Mor Çatı) foundation was in the news because the shelter has been refused further funding by the Beyoğlu District Administration. As of 31 December 2008, the shelter does not officially exist anymore.

Nazan Eroğlu from the foundation has announced that a campaign for an independent women’s foundation would be set up – “we will not give up.”

Narratives against Violence

The book the organisation has just published thus comes as a timely reminder that such funding cuts are short-sighted.

Based on interviews with fifteen women who applied to the foundation at different times, the book is entitled “Narratives against Violence” and subtitled “Experiences of Survival and Solidarity”.

The book was launched with a cocktail in Beyoğlu’s Cafe 17, and we spoke to the authors.

For İnci Aral, taking part in the project was a must: “In societies dominated by men, women have to fend for themselves. But this loneliness can be overcome with solidarity. We women can save ourselves. We need even more solidarity these days, when women have many negative experiences.”

She added, “I have been writing about women for 35 years. If we do not break down the walls inside us, we will not be free. This is what I wanted to say with this book.”

Many authors, many life stories

The book is made up of interviews carried out by Necla Akgökçe, İnci Aral, Handan Çağlayan, Ayşe Düzkan, Siren İdemen, Müge İplikçi, Şebnem İşigüzel, Karin Karakaşlı, Handan Koç, Pınar Öğünç, Hande Öğüt, Yasemin Öz, Nükhet Sirman, Tuğba Tekerek and Candan Yıldız. In addition, there are interviews by Meltem Ahıska with three women who worked for “Purple Roof” as volunteers at different times.

The book is introduced with a text by Dr. Şirin Tekeli. She describes the book project as a meeting of women experiencing violence and women who “have saved themselves”. Together these women can express their revolt against violence in a common language.

Sirman, from the sociology department of Bosphorus University, sees herself as part of “Purple Roof”. In a speech at the book launch, she said that the book helped her understand how the foundation has developed.

Dialogue to find common language condoning violence

Tekerek told the audience how much an interview with a mother and daughter affected her: “Every story surprises. I have seen male violence through the eyes of children. And I understood that the solidarity of mother and daughter could overcome male violence.”

Düzkan recalled the March against Beatings in 1987. Following her interview with a woman for the book, she remembers thinking “I’m glad I became a feminist.”

“I have understood that feminism has only taken a small step in the last century,” said Çağlayan, pointing out that a lot of efforts would have to be made to improve the situation of women.

Öz pointed out that she had learnt about feminism after experiences similar to those of the interviewed women.

The book can be bought from “Purple Roof”, Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mah., Anadolu Sok. No. 23, Flat 7-8, Beyoğlu/Istanbul. (BÇ/AG)