Anti-rape anthem from Chile sung in Turkish parliament to protest against femicide

Female members of the Turkish Parliament sang the anti-rape Chilean protest song in the Parliament to protest against femicide. According to unofficial data compiled by a country's advocacy group reveals that men have murdered nearly 440 women in 2018. The numbers have doubled from 2012 when Ankara had passed a law to protect women. Turkey reportedly does not keep the official statistics of the female deaths. Some women's groups have attributed a drastic number of female deaths to the country's failure to implement the legislation. 

During Las Tesis protest, named after the Chilean feminist collective nearly seven demonstrators were detained in Istanbul. It is the protests in Chile that inspired a song and dance called 'The rapist is you' that has prompted rallies in several other countries. Reportedly, more such marches were planned on December 15 in Izmir and Istanbul. On December 14, nearly eight members of the Turkish parliament's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) pounded on the tables in the premises in Ankara. The MP's also sang the Turkish version of the song, while other colleagues held at least 20 pictures of the faces of women who are reportedly said to be killed due to domestic violence. 

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Aim was to highlight the plight

CHP Deputy sera Kadigil said that the aim of the MP's singing the song was to highlight the plight of females who are subjected to violence and murder. Kadigil also addressed the Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu who was present in the parliament. Kadigil acknowledged the dance that started in Chile in order to draw worldwide attention to the violence against women called 'Las Tesis', however, she elaborated that 'Turkey is the only country' where the women must have parliamentary immunity to participate in the protest. 

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Soylu reportedly said that everyone expressed the pain of each woman who has been killed in their country. However, he rejected the part of the lyrics which were addressing Turkish officials as a 'rapist' or 'killer'. According to the data by the World Health Organisation, 38 per cent of women in Turkey are subjected to violence from a partner in their entire life as compared to the 25 per cent in Europe. 

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International feminist phenomenon

Not only Turkey, but Chilean anti-rape song has also become a viral rape-anthem all around the world. Un Violador en Tu Camino – A Rapist in Your Path – was first performed in late November in Chile to raise voice against social inequality. The videos of the song along with the dance moves quickly went viral making its way across Latin America. Performances started taking place in Mexico, Colombia, France, Spain, and Britain. The song has been written by Lastesis which is a feminist theatre group and credited it to women protesters in Chile.

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(With agency inputs)