Turkey: 'Cultural shift' aiding domestic violence victims

ANKARA

There is a cultural paradigm shift taking place in Turkey that is enabling victims of domestic violence, including women and children to approach help centers, Turkish minister for family and social policies has said.

In remarks made to Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk Thursday, Aysen Gurcan said that 85,000 people benefited from Centers for Preventing and Monitoring Violence (SONIM) established across Turkey since 2013.

"Around 85,000 people have benefitted from these centers; out of which 65,000 are women, 18,000 are children and 2,000 are men," Gurcan said.

SONIM was set up in 2013 and launched in 14 provinces with the aim of assisting individuals suffering domestic violence.

Before, when there were no such centers to help such victims, the Turkish minister said that such problems stayed behind closed doors, inside the victims' homes and remained undisclosed due to a "paradigm of cultural protection".

However, she said that the Turkish society was now witnessing changes and victims now had an opportunity to break their silence with the help of such centers.

"Now, a cultural paradigm shift has taken place; is it taking place? Yes, it is taking place and it has to [continue]," she said.

Most of the victims of domestic violence are women who face abuse by their husbands. The minister said that centers like SONIM guide and help women reach the safety of guesthouses, where they find accommodation without feeling threatened.

She also revealed that a bylaw concerning the centers was about to be completed, which, when approved by the Turkish Court of Accounts, would come into effect in 36 provinces.

ANKARA

"Around 85,000 people have benefitted from these centers; out of which 65,000 are women, 18,000 are children and 2,000 are men," Gurcan said.

SONIM was set up in 2013 and launched in 14 provinces with the aim of assisting individuals suffering domestic violence.

However, she said that the Turkish society was now witnessing changes and victims now had an opportunity to break their silence with the help of such centers.

"Now, a cultural paradigm shift has taken place; is it taking place? Yes, it is taking place and it has to [continue]," she said.

She also revealed that a bylaw concerning the centers was about to be completed, which, when approved by the Turkish Court of Accounts, would come into effect in 36 provinces.