Detainees Speak Up on Strip Searching

Following Justice Minister’s latest remarks “strip search practices are held without  on non-degrading strip search, former detainees Arzu Demir and Ü.S. who have previously been strip searched spoke up to bianet.

Ü.S.: They want us to feel ashamed 

“They want us to feel ashamed, but they fail to see what a shame they are doing. We are women, therefore we need to feel ashamed when we are stripped naked, they think. They are trying to humiliate and degrade us by strip searching. 

“Strip search is common practice of torture, especially towards women, for humiliation, depersonalization and oppression. It is so ironic that this practice has skyrocketed at a period that there are many other interventions on female body. Justice Minister’s deduction of this matter to the feelings of shame is very unfortunate. 

“Searching of sexual organ and not searching other belongings and clothes can’t be explained with the feelings of shame. I didn’t feel ashamed that day, it is them who must feel ashamed.”

Demir: It especially targets women

“On June 18, my friend Derya Okatan and I were detained after a police raid and subjected to strip search despite the lack of prosecutor order. They took out all my clothes including my top and underwear. A policewoman searched me entirely with her eyes and fingers. 

“Strip search is a sexual torture because it involves the searching of your sexual organ without your consent. It especially targets women. It is widely-used for all inmates. 

“It is not important whether you do with a female or male police officer. It is not important whether you do it with your fingers or eyes. It doesn’t change the fact that it is sexual torture.

“I didn’t feel ashamed when police strip searched me. Of course, I was annoyed as somebody was looking, touching and searching at my body without my consent. But it wasn’t shameful. 

“However, it is obvious that it causes shame for most women. And it is very normal. Justice Minister claims that they are trying not to make feel ashamed. It makes me wonder how he would feel if he were subjected to naked search. 

“This government exercises sexual torture especially on women on every aspect of life. We have no option but to speak up on this without feeling ashamed, bored or tired.” (ÇT/BM)