Men pose in mini-skirts to support social media campaign

Ozgecan Aslan's burned body was found in woodland after she is alleged to have tried to resist a sexual assault by minibus driver Ahmet Suphi Altindoken who then stabbed and clubbed her to death, it is claimed. 

Her death saw thousands of people take to the streets of Turkey during several days of protests about the lack of equality in the country, and saw women share their stories of harassment and violence on Twitter.

Men in neighbouring Azerbaijan, which has strong cultural ties to Turkey, have now started their own social media campaign to call for better rights for women, by posing in skirts and holding up signs bearing Miss Aslan's name.

The men have posted pictures of themselves in skirts using the hashtag #y which translates to ‘wear miniskirts for Ozgecan’. The campaign aims to draw attention to the notion that wearing a skirt is seen as provocative, highlighting the poor way women are treated and regarded.

And as the anger continues in Turkey a second hashtag has emerged calling for men to don their skirts and go to Taksim Square in Istanbul for further public protests. 

More than 1,500 men have taken part in the campaign so far.  

Miss Aslan's death has caused outrage in Turkey where women are frequently killed at the hands of violent men and are seen as having a lower status - a view recently inflamed by comments made by the Turkish president who said women were not equal to men.

Her death has also led to calls for the death penalty to be used for her killers.

The student was reported missing on February 11 in Tarsus in Turkey.

According to reports she was the only passenger left in a minibus driven by Altindoken, who allegedly changed the route of the bus when the other passengers got off and attempted to rape her.

It is then claimed that when she resisted him and used pepper spray he murdered her and disposed of her body. 

Altindoken has been arrested for the murder, as well as two other people who have been held in connection with the killing. 

Days of protests have ensued, with women taking to the streets with red tears and bullet wounds painted on their faces. Other have marched, bearing placards with the student's picture on.  

(dailymail.co.uk)