Rally in Amed: Self-defence against male-state violence

Fighting women frighten the patriarchy. At a women's demonstration in Amed on November 25, there were three times as many police officers as participants. "We defend ourselves against male-state violence" was the motto.

A demonstration organised by the Dicle Amed Women's Platform (DAKP) on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women took place in Amed (Diyarbakir) on Wednesday under massive police presence. There were three times as many police officers on site as there were demonstrators.

The demonstration, led by a banner saying "We defend ourselves against male-state violence", was banned with reference to the Coronavirus pandemic. Only after lengthy negotiations could the women push through a short distance in the Kayapinar district. The spokeswoman for the Free Women's Movement (TJA), Ayşe Gökkan recalled murdered women and said: "These deaths are a black spot on the forehead of the state. As women, we reject the state because it rejects women.”

DAKP spokeswoman Nihal Yanik read out a joint statement condemning femicides and forced marriages of minors. According to the statement, an average of 137 women are murdered by men every day worldwide, and every third woman experiences physical or sexual violence in her immediate environment.

"Violence against women is not an exception, but political. We know that we only get what we deserve when we are on the streets and fight for our rights everywhere - at home, at work, on the street, in prison, at school. We do not give up,” said Yanik.