Via SES Türkiye:

“One of the most famous campaigns against street harassment in Istanbul began in the early 1980s. It was the “Purple Needle” campaign, so-called because campaigners handed out needles with purple ribbons to women on the streets. The needles were used to stab attackers.

‘According to reports, street harassment went down substantially during the campaign,’ Lyn Kocher said.”

Wow!! I’m not sure if that would work anymore today without repercussions, but I’m glad it worked back then! It reminds me how women in the USA used to poke men who groped them on public transportation with their hatpins back when women used to wear hats with hatpins! Unreal what women have to do to try to stop harassers since too often a, “No thanks,” or, “Stop!,” or “Go away” isn’t sufficient.

The article the excerpt is from highlights the problem of street harassment today:

“A car begins to follow a woman on the narrow streets of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district after a night out with the girls. She is almost home when the car stops and the two men inside ask her to join them. The woman runs to her door and enters the building quickly.

This is one of the many stories of street harassment in Istanbul, which has become a regular part of life for many women.

“Istanbul is unfortunately a city where street harassment is a part of daily life. This is not a new problem, and is largely linked to the population hike in Turkey’s recent history,” Istanbul resident Gaye Sevengil, 31, told SES Türkiye.

Beril Ozutopcu, 44, agrees. “On the street where I live, it is less common, but in the neighbourhood I work in I am harassed almost everyday.”

This year a Hollaback website launched in Istanbul, Turkey, and instead of passing out needles, they’re working to combat the problem using the internet.