Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Helplessness, insecurity, injustice increase violence”
Students and academics together also sent an important message to society: “We will build a life without violence together!”
Üsküdar University students and academic staff held a large march to raise awareness against violence. Approximately 1000 students gathered at the university’s South Campus and marched to the Central Campus with banners and placards.
Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who did not leave the students alone, stated, “There is oppression against women. There is the normalization of evil. Behind the normalization of evil is the powerful oppressing the weak. If injustice increases in a society, the first to be affected are children and women. Helplessness, insecurity, injustice increase violence…”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that there is no Mental Health Law and that psychiatric specialists are also tied-handed in this regard, said, “Addiction policies also need to be determined within the Mental Health Law. As the number of substance users increases, this violence will increase.”
Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, drawing attention to the importance of protecting human rights, said, “With this march, we want to reiterate our responsibility to protect every individual’s right to life.”
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak stated, “It might not be possible to find even a single young woman in this country who has grown up without experiencing oppression, harassment, or being subjected to various acts of violence throughout her life. Therefore, it is very important for us to tell someone something so that the next generations can live their lives peacefully and freely, without harassment, under better and more equal conditions.”
Üsküdar University students and academic staff held a large march to raise awareness against violence. Approximately 1000 students gathered at the university’s South Campus and marched to the Central Campus with banners and placards. Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, among other high-ranking academics of the university, also participated and supported the students. During the march, surrounding citizens also showed their support with applause.
“It deeply shook and angered all students, all of us”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, referring to the recent acts of violence in the country, said, “It deeply shook and angered all students, all of us, causing great tension. There are those who have lost sleep.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also pointed to the banners carried by the students, such as “For all women whose stories remain unfinished” and “Don’t protect your daughter, educate your son,” and stated the following.
“There is the normalization of evil”
“There is oppression against women. There is the normalization of evil. Behind the normalization of evil is the powerful oppressing the weak. If injustice increases in a society, the first to be affected are children and women. Because the powerful begin to act according to the law of the jungle. In the law of the jungle, the powerful dictate. They tend to act without thinking. If the system allows this, then the decision-makers in that system need to scrutinize it. Some restructuring is needed from scratch. The perception of impunity in society has reached its limit. Helplessness, insecurity, injustice increase violence. Lawsuits between individuals in society and with the state have increased. The reasons for these should be investigated. Looking at the results is a diagnostic error.”
“There is a serious diagnostic error regarding violence against women in Turkey”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also noted that there is a serious diagnostic error regarding violence against women in Turkey, stating, “Law No. 6284 and the Istanbul Convention need to be re-evaluated and rewritten in a way that is compatible with society's culture. They are not producing solutions; rather, they are increasing incidents of violence.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan thanked the students for reacting to the normalization of evil and for correctly diagnosing incidents of violence, saying, “If we remain silent, this evil begins to normalize. What needs to normalize in Turkey is not silence against evil, not silence against the oppressor, not quietness.”
“Addiction policies also need to be determined within the Mental Health Law”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also stated that anger being the language of communication causes tension in society, and said the following:
“If there is group stress in companies, visits and patient numbers increase. Currently, half of Turkey's 85 million people use antidepressants. This statistic is increasing steadily. There is no Mental Health Law. Psychiatric specialists are also tied-handed in this regard. Experts are not entirely sure what to do with people suffering from mental health issues. There are many measures taken by developed countries regarding this. All these measures need to be discussed. Rehabilitation centers need to be established. Tertiary protection centers are important. Opportunities for ill individuals and those with substance addiction need to be re-evaluated.
Policies regarding addiction are currently completely dysfunctional. This needs to be re-evaluated and restructured. Addiction policies also need to be determined within the Mental Health Law. As the number of substance users increases, this violence will increase. Violence against women, violence against children… This is called domestic violence in the literature. Domestic violence is also increasing globally. We have now started to exceed the world standard in this regard.”
“The problem is clear: violence exists and is increasing!”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that decisions would be restructured if more people expressed the youth's message and if there was demand from society, saying, “Our demand is well-intentioned, a demand that produces solutions to alleviate problems. That’s why we need to wake up those who are asleep. I hope our messages here reach their target and the uncertainty regarding this issue in Turkey is resolved. The problem is clear: violence exists and is increasing. What are the solutions? There are solutions at the individual, family, societal, and administrative levels.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also reminded that he was called to the Violence Commission in 2007, stating, “Again, a violence commission is being established; what is important is not just convening the commission, but implementing, creating a roadmap, and investing. Let's stop investing in stone and soil, let's invest in people.”
Prof. Dr. Güngör: “We are here for a very important awareness”
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, drawing attention to the importance of protecting human rights, said, “With this march, we want to reiterate our responsibility to protect every individual’s right to life. Women, babies, youth; together, by joining forces, we aim for a society without violence. The right to life is freedom, and we are here to protect that freedom.”
Prof. Dr. Güngör emphasized the need to increase social awareness and called on authorities to take further steps in this regard, stating, “We are staging our protest for a humane life and for the protection of every person's right to life. We are also calling out to the authorities here. It is the duty of administrators and authorities to protect the right to life of each one of us. Therefore, to solve this problem, we must always show sensitivity together. None of us will walk alone. Especially women, babies, we are all together, we will be strong together.”
Dean of FHSS Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “I know you are very angry, we are all angry”
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak first addressed the young people gathered in the faculty garden, saying, “As Üsküdar University FHSS, first and foremost, I want to express how proud I am of all of you. It is very important for all of us that you young people have taken such an action that can affect not only your own lives but also the lives of others, and that this is being done under very peaceful, academic, and loving conditions. I know you are very angry, we are all angry because I am also a mother, I also grew up as a young girl. It might not be possible to find even a single young woman in this country who has grown up without experiencing oppression, harassment, or being subjected to various acts of violence throughout her life. Therefore, it is very important for us to tell someone something so that the next generations can live their lives peacefully and freely, without harassment, under better and more equal conditions.”
“Universities have always played a locomotive role in such matters”
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak also explained that university students worldwide set up tents to protest one of the most serious genocides in history, showed solidarity with the Palestinian people, and that rectors resigned solely because they valued this struggle, and continued:
“In such matters, universities have always played a locomotive role; universities have this characteristic. Undoubtedly, you will make your voice heard, you will write, you will draw, and we will support you. However, let me say this: the reason for all this anger in us is not just an isolated incident, we know that. Many things have accumulated, there's Narin, there's a culture of impunity, there's the fact that we've lost our girls, there's the loss of 10,000 children annually, there's our country ranking among the top in honor killings globally. As women and men, we have unfortunately created, hand in hand, a culture where the strong can easily oppress the weak. The main issue is not just about women; children are also tormented, weak men are tormented, and those in marginal categories are also pressured. There is oppression against everyone who is weak in this country, within this culture.”
“The culture of impunity is injustice itself”
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak also stated that the culture of impunity is injustice itself, saying, “Nothing can be more infuriating than injustice and not being on equal terms. I know that the issue is not just femicides or the anxieties, losses, pressures, and harassments you experience. Therefore, I thank all of you for conducting your protest calmly and beautifully. From now on, as the entire academic staff of Üsküdar University, all our faculty members are with you. We will always be by your side, we will give you all the support we can. I wish you all a free, loving, and peaceful world.”
Students: We say ‘Enough is Enough’ to this situation!
Helin Hayat Odabaş, a 3rd-year student of the Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, stated on behalf of the students that women and young people demand the right to a safe life, saying, “In Turkey, women, children, and young people do not feel safe. We say ‘Enough is Enough’ to this situation! Women and all society want a life without violence, and we demand that these demands be taken into account.”
Demands for a society without violence
University students voiced their demands for the protection of women's rights, calling for the effective implementation of the fight against violence against women and for concrete steps to be taken. The demands included the application of Law No. 6284 on Combating Violence Against Women, the establishment of a free 24/7 ALOŞİDDET (Hello Violence) hotline, the creation of crisis centers for combating sexual violence, and the provision of free support to victims of violence. The students emphasized that these demands are essential for establishing social peace and tranquility.
In this meaningful event organized by Üsküdar University against violence, students and academics together also conveyed an important message to society: “We will build a life without violence together!”
