In the village of Pertek Avéker in Dersim, Partizan sympathisers beat and punished a rapist of a 63-year-old disabled woman, what also forced the local gendarmerie to "do something" and arrested the rapist. Immediately after Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, the fight against violence against women plays a priority role - not only for the people, but also the state is now forced to appear as if it is "still" interested in solving this problem.
A similar action was carried out in Istanbul-Sarıgazi, where a shopkeeper had harassed a woman. Revolutionary and women's organisations, including the Yeni Demokrat Kadın'ın (New Democratic Women) then gathered in front of the shop, denounced the owner, made speeches and left slogans on the building to punish the perpetrator.
The struggle also continues in the form of ongoing protests and demonstrations demanding against the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, especially in Istanbul. In the Kadköy district, another large demonstration with thousands of participants took place on Saturday, with cops trying to block the way of the demonstrating women with barricades. Barricades were knocked down in a central square in Kadköy, and in another place in the city, in Besiktas, in response to a police attack on a demonstration. At the same time, struggles continue at Boğaziçi University against the appointment of Melih Bulu as the new reactor. This still young year has clearly already produced a large and broad mobilisation in defence of democratic rights in Turkey.
