'Brake the violence': Women's group train taxi drivers on violence against women

Photo: Mor Salkım Women's Solidarity Association

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The Mor Salkım Women's Solidarity Association is running the "We are Braking Violence" project to raise awareness of male violence against women among taxi drivers.

The group trains taxi drivers in the cities of Bursa, Van, Trabzon, Edirne, Mersin on what to do when they encounter women who have suffered violence. The training is given by association managers, lawyers, sociologists, social workers, psychologists and activists. The association also distributes booklets to drivers in four languages (Turkish, English, Kurdish and Arabic).

Also, stickers are put on the cars of the trained drivers to show that their cars are safe and they are trained. A manifesto is put on taxi stands that participate in training programs and prove that they show zero tolerance to violence, gender inequality and discrimination.

"We didn't know what to do"

Dilek Üzümcüler, the founder of the Mor Salkım association and the project manager, says, "In our interviews with taxi drivers, the point they made the most was that they didn't know what to do when they encountered a woman who suffered violence."

A taxi driver who has participated in the training program in Bursa, Mehmet Şeker, says they contacted Üzümcüler, a regular customer of theirs, after discussing what to do when they encounter an incident of violence. "Thanks to the training, we have gained awareness on these issues," he says.

Hikmet İlhan, the head of the Mudanya Chamber of Drivers in Bursa, says, "After receiving training in this project, our colleagues immediately reported two incidents of violence. This showed how important training is."

"Violence against women is on the rise in Turkey. We have been involved in this project to prevent this. It wasn't limited to training. Also, practice meetings were held. Taxi drivers are constantly talking to one another," he says.

Women's stories

The starting point for the project was women's stories, says Üzümcüler.

"One morning, when I got into the taxi, one of the drivers told me that they had a very serious incident at night and that a woman got into a taxi barefoot and wearing a nightgown.

"The woman took off the bracelet on her arm and asked the taxi driver to take her to the bus terminal and buy her a ticket. The taxi driver took her home, gave her clothes and took her to the terminal. He didn't get the bracelet either, he bought the ticket and sent her off. Then the woman's spouse came but they didn't give any information to him.

"Then he said to me, 'We don't know where to take them or what to do, women may hesitate to go to the police station, tell us what we should do.'

"We had been in contact with taxi drivers for a long time. We wanted to get together. In March 2020, we signed a protocol with the Bursa Chamber of Drivers to start training."

Nearly 1,900 drivers were trained

As part of the project, taxi drivers are informed about discrimination, gender, violence against women, the İstanbul Convention and legal provisions about the issue.

The project started with three taxi stands in Bursa. So far, it has reached nearly 1,900 drivers from 50 different taxi stands.

After demands by feminist groups in Van, Trabzon, Mersin and Edirne, the project is also implemented in these cities now. At the end of August, the association says it will release a report containing figures and information about the project.

Üzümcüler says taxi drivers are pleased with the training program, citing surveys they conducted among them. "We issue a certificate at the end of the training. We will continue this training from time to time and ensure that new taxi stands are included."

(SO/VK)