I was with my Norwegian colleagues on the streets in Istanbul while we were waiting to get on a boat. I found a nut vender by the side of the street and went over to check out what he was selling. As I was standing there with a couple of other female colleagues, a man walks by and grabs my cooch from behind. It was so strange and quick, I thought it might have been an accident, so I just ignored it. But then, the same man walks by a second time and grabs me in the same spot! I was so stunned! I felt so helpless!
– Kiersten
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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YabanciKiz says
I lived in Istanbul for 3.5 years. Whenever the topic of street harassment gets brought up, at best, the victim’s complaints get blown off (“oh, that never happens in ‘the Turkey’ [sic]) or at worst, the victim gets blamed (“what were you WEARING?”).
The endemic nationalism lends itself to a culture in which foreign women without male accompaniment get little to no respect. Unfortunately, women (out of jealousy) tend to be the worst about this. Once I was taking a shared taxi (dolmus) and I asked in Turkish a female passenger the fare for the route. She looks at me, turns to her neighbor and says, “I’m so tired of these Russian prostitutes.”
I don’t mean to sound bitter–and many Turks were helpful and friendly during my years there. But to brush these problems under the rug (or worse, blame it on the Kurds) does your beautiful country no favors.