Turkish and Azerbaijani men aren’t known for wearing mini-skirts. But they have donned them to protest the murder of 20-year-old psychology student. Ozgecan Aslan.
Ozgecan was murdered in Turkey on 11 February after reportedly fighting off a male bus driver who was trying to rape her. After retaliating with pepper-spray, she was stabbed and beaten to death with an iron bar. She was found three days later, her body dumped in a river.
Her death sparked a massive response in her own country and in neighbouring Azerbaijan. More than 6 million people have tweeted her name and thousands have used social media to share their own stories of sexual abuse, mostly from women.
But it was in Azerbaijan that men started uploading pictures of themselves in mini-skirts, rejecting any notion that how a woman is dressed is relevant to her personal safety. The movement then spread to Turkey where men took to the streets in a bid to end violence against women in their country.
Men from all over the world have now joined the moment.
They’re sharing their support via the hashtag #ozgecanicinminietekgiy which, translates to “wear a miniskirt for Ozgecan”.
The rallying cry of this movement on Facebook says: “If a miniskirt is responsible for everything, if [wearing] a miniskirt means immorality and unchastity, if a woman who wears a miniskirt is sending an invitation about what will happen to her, then we are also sending an invitation!”
Top Comments
I meant to say that there is hope.
After seeing this story and pictures, I feel that there is for women and men. I'm so proud to see men making this stand. If only all men were this strong.