Welcome!

Come Hear Director Kacie Lyn Kocher@ Koc University tomorrow at 5pm!

On Thursday May 17th at 5pm, Director Kacie Lyn Kocher will also be on the panel on sexual harassment at Koc University. Meet us!

Hollaback Istanbul chosen as one of the finalists to receive The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle Porte!

Yay for us! We were just chosen as one of the finalist social movement organizations to receive The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle Porte for free which is about female empowerment and entrepreneurial success: http://www.daniellelaporte.com/general-announcements/charity-love-votes-books-books-books/ Know of any other great resources that can help our movement grow? Send them to us: istanbul@ihollaback.org

L.Q.’s Story: It clearly wasn’t a premeditated attack

I was walking home from the library after a late night of studying. I was just a few paces from my apartment building’s door when I heard fast footsteps coming behind me. A shorter man in his mid to late 50s was charging at me, holding plastic bags — I thought he was a delivery man who was running late.

I turned to apologize for being startled, but when he came close to me, he shoved me against the wall. He grabbed my neck and my face, but I was much taller than him and was able to push him off me. When he realized I could physically dominate him, he fled. I chased him for a bit, screaming the whole time. I was shaking so hard I couldn’t hold my key steady to open the door for at least five minutes.

It clearly wasn’t a premeditated attack — it looked like he was carrying home groceries to his wife and decided to approach me on a whim. I have no idea what he thought was going to happen. Did he really think he could rape me, a 187 cm tall woman, under the eyes of about two thousand residential windows?

Today’s Miss Representation Screening @ Bilgi Santral Cancelled!

Sorry for any inconvenience, stay tuned for rescheduling.

English Story Sharing this Sunday! Molly’s Cafe 4-6 PM

anımız Sokakta holds two Story Sharing events for those who have experienced street harassment to share their stories and get support from a psychologist and lawyer
Canımız Sokakta has been providing a virtual space for victims of street harassment to interact and share their stories on the website www.canimizsokakta.com. That belief in the importance of storysharing is behind Canımız Sokakta’s new initative: creating a safe space for those with stories of harassment to share their experiences in a live story sharing event. At Molly’s Café in Galata, there will be two story sharing events (one in English and one in Turkish). Both will be moderated by psychologist Inci Tebis and lawyer Nihan Guneli, who will facilitate the discussion of personal stories and will provide guidance and support for those who have experienced street harassment.

“With these events, we aim to complement the website’s story-sharing function by fostering an open, theraputic environment where people can give and receive support through sharing their stories in person,” Canımız Sokakta volunteer and Story Sharing events coordinator Maggie Hunter explains. “We hope to raise awareness of the issues of street harassment in general, help particpants reflect on their individual experiences, and remind participants that they are not alone

Solange’s Story: Life in this city can be very frightening at times

I moved from my home in Sao Paulo to istanbul last year with my husband and daughter. Since moving here, I have frequently been the object of harassment, often verbal and occassionally physical. Earlier this week, my family moved to a new apartment. Five Turkish men were hired to help us move. One of the men cornered me in our old kitchen. He pointed to his hand to ask if I was married. I told him (in English) that I was indeed married, that my husband was elsewhere in our apartment, and I showed the man my wedding ring. Nevertheless, he moved in and tried to kiss me. I did’t yell, but I ran into the other room and told my husband. I am a rather quiet person and I do not speak Turkish (my English is also limited – an American friend is helping me to write this post). I have trouble knowing how to react in situations like this. Life in this city can be very frightening at times.

The Vagina Monologues by Maggie Hunter

As I walked away from the Saturday night showing of the acclaimed “Vagina Monologues” at the Mekan Artı theater in Istanbul, I felt inspired, intrigued, a little Vagina-ed out, and content. I’ve been trying to catch the “Vagina Monologues” for a while now. They’d come and go to my university over the years, but I could never quite make it because I was too busy, too unaware, or too scared to go alone, just me and my vagina. But that’s what the “Vagina Monologues” are all about: being okay with who you are as a woman and being okay with what your vagina is as an essential, for some possibly the quintessential, part of the female body.

The “Vagina Monologues” are based on interviews conducted by Eve Ensler, an American playwright, performer, and activist. Ensler spoke with hundreds of women about how they feel about themselves, their bodies, and their unique phenomenological experiences as females in male-dominated societies. Ninety percent of the proceeds from this particular performance of the “Vagina Monologues”, the first of its kind in Istanbul, went to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an organization that provides assistance to women and children refugees, and victims of human trafficking. The remaining 10% of the proceeds went to V-Day, a global movement founded by Ensler to combat violence against women and girls.

I am about as far from a theater critic as you can get, but the variety of emotions the “Vagina Monologues” evoked is impressive. The multinational performers had me laughing until I cried one minute and on the verge of genuine, sad tears the next. Although they were performing the stories of other women, they all tapped into those experiences and found themselves within the context of the other woman’s story. Their committed performances enabled audience members to identify with the stories as well.

The topics of the monologues range from self-discovery and acceptance to rape and violence against women. The stories are raw, real, and can likely resonate with women around the world. The “Vagina Monologues” recognizes, lampoons, and challenges several commonly held beliefs that women are raised to hold about their bodies, specifically their vaginas. These include the vagina as being something forbidden, secretive, sinister, dirty, shameful, weak, unwanted, and, perhaps most disheartening, anyone else’s dominion but their own. Thus, it was empowering to see females proudly reclaiming the word ‘Vagina’ for themselves and other women when it is so often presented as anything but a source of pride.

Unfortunately, my positive experience at the “Vagina Monologues” was quickly made tragically relevant to Hollaback! and the issue of street harassment. Feeling uplifted as I left the show, I was surprised when I passed an English-speaking man angrily punch a nearby wall after confirming with the woman accompanying him that “It [had] happened again?” I glanced back to see what had happened, but decided it was none of my business since they had continued walking. Later, Kacie, friend and founder of HB! Istanbul, passed along an article in Today’s Zaman (http://www.todayszaman.com/news-276394-a-walk-in-my-girlfriends-shoes.html) detailing what I had actually witnessed. The article described a frustrating day the author and his girlfriend had had walking around Istanbul and experiencing harassment several times. It turned out they had attended the “Vagina Monologues” as well and when I passed them his girlfriend had once again been subtly groped. The thought that the author had been aggravated by a perpetrator of street harassment had never crossed my mind.

My reaction highlights how subtle street harassment can be and how easy it is for us as bystanders to be unaware of, and overlook, such instances. Yet an unwanted touch can remind a person of just how vulnerable they are and make them fearful of the world and insecure about their place within it. This slow marginalization occurs daily all around us. Thus, movements like Hollaback! and the “Vagina Monologues” that raise awareness and consciousness surrounding women’s issues, whether it be domestic violence in the home or misogynistic aggression in public, are vital. They not only aim to improve the status of women in public spheres of life, but also in the most private sphere of life, the way women feel about themselves and interpret the world around them.

Looking for a few Good Dads

Fathers can be at the heart of the change we hope to see in the world for women and girls, and that’s why the Miss Representation project (you remember our showing in March) wants to celebrate those men who empower their daughters and are effectively modeling and teaching gender equality. Is your dad one of these admirable men? Is your husband, partner, brother or significant other? Find one incredible dad in your area, and to fill out this form describing why he stands out as a man who respects women. If you’re a father yourself, we would love to hear what you are doing to make this world a healthier and safer place for your daughter!

(*The form is in English. If you would like to send us your Turkish answers, we would be happy to translate them for you*).