Invisible Problem Of Sexual Harassment On The Streets

Activist Zozan Özgökçe is harassed on the street. She complains in spite of every man’s insistence that she should simply forgive the harassers. She thinks the problem will never go away, on the contrary will get worse, if the women are not persistent in filing complaints.

Tolga Korkut

Zozan Özgökçe from Van Women’s Association (VAKAD) tells the story of how she was verbally abused while leaving her house in the morning by the men working at the construction site across the street. She says when she looked around to identify those responsible, she saw three men laughing at her mockingly. So, she went to the police station to file a complaint.

At first, the officers in the station told him that they would take care of it by warning them, but when she insisted that the problem should be solved, they asked her if she was complaining. Following her acknowledgment, they all went to the construction site, Özgökçe identified the men who harassed her and the police brought the suspects to the station.

“They were smiling”

Özgökçe says they were still smiling at the police station, as if proud of what they had done. A little while later, the police asked Özgökçe if she would like to come to a mutual understanding with the perpetrators. Naturally, Özgökçe’s reply was a simple no.

“The kids made a mistake, forgive them”

Özgökçe did not know which one of them was the person who had actually done the harassing.

“The people at the construction site know, but they protect each other.”

Meanwhile, she also mentions how the people who run the construction site told him that the kids had made a mistake and she should have forgiven them.

“They pretend that there is no harassment on the street”

Özgökçe says there is much sexual harassment out on the streets, but it is invisible, most of the people pretend that it does not take place, because most women do not file complaints.

“They teach us women one thing: ‘Do not talk back when you are harassed.’ This is actually telling women not to answer back whatever the men may do.”

“The women should complain so that the problem will become visible”

“But the women should complain about the sexual harassment on the streets. They should be persistent. So that the authorities will see that this is a problem and they will act.” Özgökçe is now waiting for the investigation of the prosecutor. (TK/EZÖ/TB)