Özgü Özütok/JINHA

İZMİR - Gülden Aykanat is among the many healthcare workers in Turkey, where millions of refugees live, to undergo UN training in emergency reproductive healthcare. Gülten said that she found it concerning to be trained in post-rape healthcare, rather than preventing rape.
In Turkey, the UN Population Fund has provided a three-day training in “Health and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.” A recent training in Turkey’s capital of Ankara included over 400 healthcare workers who will be working in refugee camps in 13 countries.
Gülden Aykanat, a practicing physician in Turkey’s İzmir province, attended the training, which focused on women in refugee camps, women’s reproductive health and pediatric and family healthcare. The training comes amidst international discussion of sending refugees who have reached Europe to refugee camps in Turkey.

“The most concerning thing in this training was seeing clear percentages given for the number of women who ‘will be raped in war,’” said Gülden, commenting on the training. “It’s worrying that what is being talked about is not what will be done to prevent this situation, but what to do afterward.”

Gülden called rape “one of the most significant weapons used against women in war since the time of Homer.” She noted that she and the other healthcare workers attending the training strongly recommended that security in refugee camps be provided by women rather than men. Issues around sexual assault, particularly within the camps themselves, were multiplied by the language barrier.

“For this kind of topic to be discussed through a translator makes things very difficult for them,” said Gülden. “From the perspective of doctor-patient confidentiality, this makes it impossible for them to describe rape and harrassment, particularly by camp security personnel, without establishing a trust relationship. They’re scared of being thrown out of the camp they’re in, or the country.”

Gülden has heard many reports of women who have been sexually assaulted not just in war, but by those smuggling them out of the war zone. Others are sold for money as second and third wives once they become refugees. One refugee woman told her that she didn’t want to return to the camp, saying “I’d rather live under a tree in [İzmir’s] Basmane Train Station” than stay in the camp.

Healthcare workers have received reports about new camps and state housing to be built in İzmir and around Turkey, but their requests to meet with state health officials about this have gone unanswered, Gülden said. “There does need to be a place where people have security of life and property, but no place is going to be like home,” said Gülden. “The most correct thing is for wars to end. All other thoughts are just temporary precautions.”

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