JINHA

İSTANBUL –Lawyer Gülseren Yoleri pointed out the sexual assault and violation of rights towards refugee women and the women, who are subjected to sexual assault, cannot report that to jurisdiction, “We hear that those who want to file a report have been deported before we take legal action.”

There are more than refugee women in Turkey. While 86, 5 per cent refugee women cannot work in Turkey; they have been subjected to sexual assault and violence. Turkey doesn’t take a step for refugee women those who should be protected against sexual and physical abuse, exploitation and discrimination in the distribution of goods and services. Lawyer Gülseren Yoleri made evaluations about the issue. She says the problems which refugee women have faced is closely related to legal status.

Gülseren reminded that a law passed in 2013 about the status of refugees and some of legal deficiencies have been fixed but, “Turkey, which is a party to the Geneva Convention, is becoming parties by putting geographical drawback for asylum seekers to international law. While Turkey recognizes the status of refugee for people who come from Europe, they don’t recognize the status of refugee for people come from another place.”

Gülseren said that the refugee status is an application which guarantees the right of all refugee people but most of refugees in Turkey haven’t had this right. Gülseren criticized the temporary protected status granted to refugees from Syria and she said that Syrian people have tried to go to Europe due to limited life opportunities in Turkey.”

Gülseren noted that women have been seen as “spoil” in war and refugee women have subjected to sexual assault, “There is a social structure that accept this and a judicial system and state concept that don’t punish the sexual assault. Women are being used like a sexual object by being forced to be a prostitute or second wife or marry a man with religious marriage ceremony for just one day.”

Gülseren said that women, who were subjected to sexual assault, have barriers to report that, “No investigation has been made about that. Women are afraid of resort to the jurisdiction the sexual assault. We hear that those who want to file a complaint have been deported before we take legal action.”

(nb-tm/ödk/gc/gd)