In Kızılay shopping mall in the heart of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, two sexual assaults happened in consecutive days. Management of the mall tried to cover up the assaults, instead of taking preventive measures.
Two weeks ago, Attorney C.K. went to Kızılay Shopping Mall, which is in the very centre of capital city Ankara, for shopping. When she went to ladies' room, an assaulter followed her and entered into the toilet cabin next to hers. Suddenly, C.K. realised that he was watching her from the next toilet cabin. C.K. screamed and the assaulter ran away.
Shopping mall management tried to cover up
C.K. applied to the private security of the shopping mall and demanded help to call the police. However, responsible person for the shopping mall security tried to cover up the issue, saying that this incident should not be exaggerated. C.K. reacted against this, and undercover police officers came to the scene. C.K. got the footage of the assaulter and went to police station.
Her testify in the police station, C.K. noticed that, on the previous day, an 8-year-old girl was also assaulted in the same way in the ladies' room of the very same shopping mall.
Attorney C.K. mentioned that neither shopping mall management nor the police had taken a measure in the shopping mall, despite the sexual assault to an 8-year-old girl. C.K. talked to soL and said that she had a trauma after this assault; she mentioned that she cannot use public toilet rooms since that date.
"Government does not pay importance to sexual assaults"
C.K. mentioned that the sexual assaults against women and children are increasing in number and the government does not take necessary actions to prevent this situation. She underlined that the legal procedures are very insufficient to discourage assaulters; suspects are released, not jailed, and the punishment for sexual assaults are not enough.
