Monday, 16 February 2015

Beyond words.

University student, Özgecan Aslan got on a bus to take her home. She never made it. She was raped and murdered.  Her brutal killing has released a tidal wave of protest all over Turkey. Tonight in Bodrum, men and woman of all ages gathered in front of the Town Hall.  It wasn't really a protest, it wasn't a memorial. Some events are so horrendous there is nothing to do but come together.  It won't stop it happening again and it won't help those who have lost their lives, but sometimes staying at home isn't an option and folk are out on the streets paying homage to a young girl whose life was viciously snatched from her.



My fellow blogger, JaneyinMersin (where this heinous crime took place) has expressed what we are all thinking much more eloquently than I can.  Please click on the link to read her letter to Özgecan.






My Letter to Özgecan

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I never had the pleasure of meeting you Özgecan.  I never had the chance to hear you laugh with your friends or sing along to your favorite tune.  No I did not know you at all but I know you now.  Your name will forever be etched into my heart and into the hearts of millions of others here in Turkey and around the world who woke on Valentine’s Day, the day of romance, to the sickening news of your death at the hands of a monster.  We are shocked beyond words hearing of your suffering and of knowing that the simple task of stepping on a bus is no longer safe here in Mersin. Click to continue reading...
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16 comments:

  1. Alan17 February 2015 at 07:58

    . . as a species we are deeply flawed, in the main because of the system that governs our lives in which we have become deformed and twisted. That said, there is so much goodness and decency, so much humanity and that too is so often demonstrated by extra-ordinary ordinary people. This young woman is one of hundreds of thousands being raped, murdered and mutilated around the world on a daily basis. Her death has lit a spark here in Turkey - will the spark become a flame before it is swamped by the next spectacle? History says not - the agencies of this tyrannical economic and political machine march on, destroying lives and the planet in its quest of primitive accumulation. When the waves of disgust and outrage for this woman's murder are directed at the real perpetrators of the crimes we see every day around the world we might get somewhere. Now, that would be a true and lasting memorial to Özgecan and all those who have gone before and since.

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    1. BacktoBodrum17 February 2015 at 21:27

      I was mighty pleased to see so many young men standing up in Bodrum yesterday.

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  2. Anonymous17 February 2015 at 08:06

    I read about this yesterday. It's awful. I will never understand how anyone can be so cruel to another human being. I hope that the Turkish government will realize the importance of responding to the wave of indignation by punishing the perpetrators appropriately and seriously reviewing its attitude to women.

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    1. BacktoBodrum17 February 2015 at 21:27

      We are going backwards as far as attitude is concerned here.

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  3. Hana Ch.17 February 2015 at 08:54

    I still can't get it - how can any thinking woman in Turkey vote for this male chauvinist AKP? The following article sums it up: AYŞE ARMAN - Everybody is guilty http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/everybody-is-guilty--.aspx?pageID=449&nID=78441&NewsCatID=528

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  4. Jack Scott17 February 2015 at 11:30

    A terrible, terrible crime.

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    1. BacktoBodrum17 February 2015 at 21:30

      Wicked. We now hear that Ozgecan had a paper spray in her bag. Had she anticipated this attack? Too horrible to contemplate.

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  5. Ayak17 February 2015 at 19:28

    I can't find any better words than those of many others. Thıs awful crıme has touched us all. I sıncerely hope that the protests and gatherıng together of decent people wıll do somethıng towards the changes that are so necessary ın thıs country.

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    1. BacktoBodrum17 February 2015 at 21:32

      Terrible because we all trust dolmus drivers to carry us and our families. 80% of the population rely on them to be honest and trustworthy.

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  6. Senior Dogs Abroad17 February 2015 at 20:11

    B to B, We think that this crime and the response to it will end up being a watershed in the fight against violence against women. There has hardly been anyone who has not been affected by it. We read about the protest in Bodrum here in the Istanbul papers.

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    1. BacktoBodrum17 February 2015 at 21:33

      A big attitude about-face needed at the top.

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  7. Unknown17 February 2015 at 22:20

    Let's see what happens ...

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  8. Kath17 February 2015 at 22:43

    Such a sad story, a young life cut so tragically short. RIP Özgecan.

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  9. Kathy18 February 2015 at 00:38

    This is truly appalling. Let's hope the wave of outrage really can lead to a lasting change of attitude.

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  10. Erica (Irene)18 February 2015 at 01:42

    Such a terrible and HEINOUS crime.......that crime has touched us all. There even was a vigil in Toronto for her....thats how it touched everyone.

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