Women prisoners lack access to sanitary pads and wax

Photo: CS archive, Esra Tokat

Click to read the article in Turkish

According to the data shared by the Civil Society in Penal System Association (CİSST), there are currently 12,095 women and girl prisoners in Turkey.

Many women prisoners have been suffering from various rights violations, experiencing sexual harassment, and are not provided enough food and medical treatment either.

Sexual harrasment during body search

Özge Akyüz from CİSST spoke to bianet about the conditions in prisons in Turkey and the problems that women prisoners face.
"We receive many applications from women prisoners about sexual harassment during body searches," said Akyüz. "During the body searches, prison staff grab women's breasts."

"While they have been transferred from one prison to another, or during the referrals to hospitals, the prison staff who accompany them are men. Women prisoners say that they are insulted and harrased by those men, too," she added.

According to Akyüz, there are no mechanisms in prisons so that women feel comfortable applying for a complaint.

Women prisoners also need legal advice for other issues as well.

"Women need legal advice regarding issues like divorce, alimony, and custody of their children. Some of them are not supported by their relatives as well. But there is not enough legal assistance provided for them," said Akyüz.

Due to the pandemic, women prisoners, like other prisoner groups, could not benefit from any social activities, including attending various workshops, outdoor and indoor sports activities, and the right to use the library and movie theaters.

According to Akyüz, living under these conditions is creating extra stress for women prisoners.

Economic crisis has affected the prisons more

The ongoing economic crisis in Turkey has affected women's lives in prisons as well, since many women do not have any proper income.

"Some prisoners work for very low salaries since they have no other income. However, they can not afford to buy much basic stuff," Akyüz said.

In Turkey, prisoners have to pay the electricity bill used for the television, samovar, and refrigerator in the ward or rooms.
The visitors are not allowed to bring the products that are sold in the prison canteen. The prisoners have to buy it from the canteens.

These products include basic necessities such as tea, coffee, pads, wax, stamps, underwear, freshwater, telephone cards, and cigarettes.

"As the prices get higher due to the economic crisis, most of the time women prisoners can not even afford sanitary pads and wax," said Akyüz.

"They are left alone when they are released"

The difficulties they face do not end when they are released, according to Akyüz.

"We live in a patriarchal society, so even when they are free, the society's attitude towards them is not supportive and they always live under the threat of facing violence." (EMK/TB)