Women in Van Denounce Pink Bus Campaign

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Women in Van have denounced the “We Want Pink Bus for Women” campaign launched by the Van Civil Solidarity Initiative.

The women stated that the aforementioned campaign was launched by men and it was also only men who signed it.

“This campaign was launched by men”

Speaking to Mezopotamya Agency, Figen Çolakoğlu said that a similar practice was put into effect in Bursa and criticized that the campaign was organized by men, and said that women’s legal rights have been seized:

“Now, men in Van have launched this campaign. I say ‘men’ because there is no woman at these stands. As far as we are concerned, there is not a woman among the signees either. This approach restricts women’s life space”.

“Men say ‘Sorry, we cannot control ourselves’”

Tuğba Kurt said that the men who launched this campaign mean “Sorry, we cannot control ourselves”.

Eylem Uca said, “It is not women who have to be isolated not to be harassed. Harassers must be tried. We do not accept this situation”.

Mesude Demir said that not the criminals but victims are attempted to be isolated from the society by means of this campaign:

“It is men who harass and abuse, and slaughter women. Why does a woman have to get on pink bus? It is vindicating the harasser. We will always struggle against this mentality”.

“Pink Bus” practice has been frequently brought to agenda by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government since 2011. The first Pink Bus practice was launched in Urfa in March, 2015 followed by Bursa and Malatya in 2017 despite all objections. (EC/ÇT/TK)