Question for educated Turks re women tourists?

Question

Riddle me this - my aunt is about 5'3" and chubby, is 57 years old and dresses conservatively. Last time she was in Istanbul with her husband who looks just like Santa Clause, she had her butt grabbed, her breast grabbed and the cab driver asked my uncle how much he wanted for "it" - meaning her. This is not b.s. Why do you think this happened to her and is this common in Turkey?...

1) she got her behind grabbed in the shopping areas - in broad daylight - MORE than once
2) she had her breast grabbed while her husband was taking a picture of her from across the street
3) as for the cab driver - I don't know what to tell you - but I can say my uncle is a respected university professor of sociology - so I think he understood very well, my aunt is a univ. lit prof - and both their hearing is just fine
4) calling this surreal is denial and hardly answers my question as I'm just trying to understand it, not judge as some of you judged me to "make it up". If I were that good at making things up I'd write a book ;-)))

AGAIN - educated is the key word, and I thank those few with a head on their shoulders and respect for one another for participating.

For the rest - unfortunate as it is for you, certain attitudes toward my question still doesn't change facts.
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The YK district one of you speak of I can find very little in English on - and it appears this is where dubious men keep underage girls from Russia/Moldova/Romania as sex slaves, besides the obvious... is that what you're referring to when you say Yuksek Kaldirim? Or does it have something to do with the synagogue?

If you think I'm lying why answer my question? Are two points worth getting your blood pressure up?....

Mrs Jones and Earthling - thank you for your impartial opinions - and they say women can't rule!

Answer 1

I believe you....Sorry for your aunt....Don't worry about these people calling you a liar and denying everything....They are used to do that....Good Night ...xXx

Answer 2

I had a very similar experience in Istanbul and Kusidasi but for some reason people, other then other girls who have had this happen, don't believe me. Although my Turkish guy friends in Istanbul told me it is pretty normal and felt embarrassed that I was being treated this way. It is funny because I don't know what it is that sets off this behaviour because my stepsister went and had no trouble. Your aunt obviously had a hard time. I am mid 20's, athletic, blond but dress conservatively (at the time I was living in a conservative Muslim country where I never had this problem). I wish I knew what the cause was because, besides the constant harassment, Turkey is an amazing country and I have some very nice friends there.

Answer 3

There is no use telling this is a lie,although it is.Firstly,if you find a cab driver speaks English,you are lucky.Secondly,I have never heard such a thing happened.Beside,I am not talking about educated ones but even uneducated ones.
On the other hand,there are perverts everywhere.I am sure the country you are from have rapers,thefts,murderers,etc.... like all the countries have in the world.So if something really happened to her,it did not happen because it is a common thing.It is sure that person would be the same type perverts in your country.Therefore,you had better go and ask them.

Answer 4

A tourist in any country should, of necessity, stay in groups or organized tours. Also, where you go, how you look, etc. is important. I have found this once or twice in Izmir, but by and large it is not a common problem.

Answer 5

I have been to many cities in Turkey with my wife and daughter. No such thing has ever happened, nor did I hear of similar things. It must have been a very bad time for them.
But allow me to say something. There are so many tourists from Europe/USA who visit other countries and want to have some 'fun'. Such people give a wrong idea of what real tourists are looking for. They give the impression that almost all tourists are looking for sex and they are easy. Those guys must have done some generalizations which apparently were completely false.
Man, your aunt should have bought a national lottery ticket. It was her lucky day/week to have three pervs all approaching her. lol.
Believe me no one, and I mean it no one, ever approached my wife or daughter in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Alanya, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu, Rize, Amasya, Safranbolu, Çorum....and they are both good looking.

Answer 6

I've been to Turkey thrice, I'm in my 30's and nothing untoward like that has happened to me albeit some men who used to follow me around during my first time there.

Answer 7

Come on, of course it's not common. Maybe, the cab driver and your uncle had a misunderstanding because of the language? Or the cab driver was really a very pervert one. (But no, we don't live in a country where each time we take a cab, the taxi driver asks us how much "it" is.)

Why didn't your uncle at least complain about this perverted behavior to the company he was working for? I would do that if it happened to me.

Answer 8

I couldn't give a meaning to a scene in Marmaris where three boys under 20 were walking with a... well, let's say "mature" lady and said lady was stroking the arm of one.

I'm sorry your aunt and her husband had such ugly experience, but I guess accidents happen when supply and demand donot match in a specific place. I would wish neither the scene you describe, nor the one I have seen.

As for my "education", would you like to see my resumé to take my word?

Answer 9

As a foreign tourist in Turkey and having had the privilege to escort some very attractive females, (of course shopping and carry packages) throughout various cities and towns. I have not had 1 incident or had 1 mentioned by any of my friends. It may have happened but definitely is not common.

Ask your uncle and aunt what they were doing in the Yuksek Kaldirim district

Answer 10

I don't base my opinions on stories, I base them on facts. I don't know whether to believe your aunt, because quite frankly, I don't even know her. If this story, as you had said, was indeed true. Well, I have nothing to say except that there are pervs everywhere in every country...it's not anything new.

Answer 11

This is madness. (300 :p) OK, seriously, how can you expect people to believe this? (Maybe fanatic Greeks and Armenians will, who love to use every opportunity to make allusions to barbaric, alien Turks!boo!) It is i-m-p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e almost in any country and certainly impossible in Turkey where old people are highly respected. Even if let's say one pervert did that -still not possible though!-, but you're talking about what, four incidents?

What do you mean you want reasons? LOL what do you expect us to say? "Because it is a very commonly practiced tradition, boys grab the evident,favorable parts of old grandmas walking down the street. It means 'How do you do lady?' It's absolutely normal in our culture!Gee, these capricious tourists! "

*ahem* I'd advise you sincerely to pick another aspect if you want to make a research. Like "What do Pinocchio and I have in common?" If you're honest to yourself, you'll arrive at the obvious conclusion.