Pervert

In the heart of Istanbul, on Istiklal Avenue, an ice cream vendor is supposedly pulling a Maraş ice cream vendor stunt. You know that nonsense where they refuse to give you the cone and flip it around... That's how it all starts, and then he presses the cone between the woman's breasts.

He smears the ice cream on her lips... Watching the footage that suddenly became a trending topic on social media worldwide makes one want to crawl into a hole.

The images are so shameful...

It was announced that the ice cream shop has been sealed, but will this save our reputation? Will it cover up this perversion?

What have we become? What happened to us, how did these people get so out of control and rabid?

For months, videos and images depicting negative events in Turkey have been pouring in from almost every corner of the world.

Are you looking for those who were harassed while in Turkey, or those who were scammed? 

South Korean social media influencer Mhyochi showed the whole world through live broadcasts that she was harassed four times while traveling from city to city in Turkey.

First, she was subjected to verbal and physical harassment by a man in Kadıköy. Then, twice more in Samsun. She did not give up; she resisted and continued her travels, but she was harassed in Giresun as well.

Yes, they are all on record, all on air, all the videos “Are Turks perverts?” were served to the world with comments!

So why is this perversion, this manifestation of animalistic instinct, this lack of self-awareness happening?

Those who dance foolishly in front of elderly female tourists in Marmaris and harass them are also doing this under the guise of a show...

Why are these things happening?

Is the only reason a lack of education? No. This is a systematic corruption!

A part of this country still beats young people holding their lover's hand, labels those who wear miniskirts as "promiscuous," and thinks they have the right to shout at women on the street.

Sexual hunger, prohibitions, the perspective on male-female relationships... It is a combination of all of these...

In the family, at school, on the street; girls are still raised with the concept of "honor," while boys are told that sexual indiscretions are "just a stain on their hands." Sexuality is a taboo. Love is a sin. Talking about it is shameful. And the result that emerges:

Perverts who rape animals...

Educators who harass their students...

So-called religious figures who prey on and abuse children in religious communities!

And in society, there is still a prevailing mindset that looks at the victim rather than the perpetrator, saying, 'But she was dressed like that!'

Do you know what the real issue is?

The issue is not who is holding hands with whom... The issue is how dirty, rotten, and hypocritical the thing you scream about as 'morality' actually is!

Our perspective of 'Is she a girl or a woman?', our 'Boys will be boys' mentality, our emotions that we push aside by calling them forbidden or sinful, the mindset that sees young girls as marriageable, and the bigotry that views them as sex objects from childhood are responsible for every kind of perversion that occurs.

Morality is not cursing at couples kissing in a TV show you watch. Morality is not ignoring the uncle who abuses his child while labeling his neighbor as an adulterer. And morality is certainly not blessing the pervert who lurks in the dark or chases after a dog while judging a woman in a miniskirt!

So, what are we going to do?

How will we cleanse this rot that has seeped into the soul of this nation? I don't know.

But I do know this: If this continues, the world will not only see us through ice cream videos, but will come to view the very word 'Turk' as synonymous with 'pervert'!

And do you know what the most painful part is? Some still cannot even grasp how serious an issue this is!