Derya Ceylan / JINHA

ISTANBUL – 25 years into their struggle against violence against women, activists with Turkey's independent women's shelter foundation Purple Roof say they will keep struggling until they live in a world where women no longer need shelters.

The seeds of Purple Roof were planted in 1987 when a legal arbitrator in the Turkish capital of Ankara rejected a woman plaintiff's request for a divorce with the remark that "you shouldn't let a woman's back go without a stick or her belly go without a colt." Women poured into the streets with a series of actions and demonstrations in protest. The demonstrations built into a major march against violence against women, in Istanbul's Yoğurtçu Park.

The group of activists who had come together through the campaign developed a phone line for women suffering domestic violence in Turkey. Seeing the need for a support network for women, they founded Purple Roof Women's Shelter Foundation in 1990.

Today, Purple Roof runs three women's shelters based on feminist principles. Purple Roof shelters currently house 375 women and 453 children. The group also provides legal, medical and psychological support to women and children suffering from abuse. They have worked with over 35,000 women and children over the years. Purple Roof recently celebrated its 25th year with a gathering in Istanbul, where longtime activists shared memories of their work.

Purple Roof activist Seda Çavuşoğlu says that while Purple Roof has forced the issue of violence against women onto the state's agenda, the work is not over.

"Our struggle, against the patriarchal system that says that inequality between men and women is a natural inequality, continues," said Seda. The foundation continues to be active in pushing for awareness of violence against women and mechanisms to protect women from violence. Purple Roof's goal, Seda says: a world where women no longer need their shelters.

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