"Domestic Violence" Should Not Be Destiny

The ever-increasing issue of "Domestic Violence" was discussed at Bahçeşehir University. The panel, held within the scope of the "Combating Domestic Violence in Türkiye" project jointly carried out by the Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Law Directorate of Global Law Programs (IGUL) and the American Bar Association (ABA), was attended by Prof. Dr. Feridun Yenisey, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nuhoğlu, Dr. Neylan Ziyalar and Dr. Leyla Welkin.

Delivering the opening speech of the panel, Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Law faculty member Prof. Dr. Feridun Yenisey referred to the United Nations Draft Resolution on Women's Issues and listed some of the proposals aimed at ending violence, saying, "This draft prohibits a man who commits domestic violence from seeing his children and makes it mandatory to arrest the perpetrator of violence."

Speaking next, Bahçeşehir University Dean of the Faculty of Law Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nuhoğlu listed what needs to be done about "Domestic Violence." Nuhoğlu said, "The most important way to prevent violence is raising awareness. This meeting is also being held for this purpose. We need to attract more people's attention with meetings like this." Stating that corrections are also needed in the laws, Nuhoğlu said, "If the laws are in line with the UN, a solution can be reached more easily."

Stating that she has been conducting research on domestic violence for 25 years, American-born Clinical Psychologist Dr. Leyla Welkin shared her experience as follows: "In Ankara, together with 2 friends, we reached 50 women by forming treatment groups for women who had been subjected to sexual harassment. Violence is a major problem all over the world. However, its rate is somewhat higher in Türkiye. The reasons for this are that the factor of authority and power is more influential, the gender gap is large, and the concept of honor is very prominent... In this country, honor means that my dignity depends on others. In Türkiye, when a woman is subjected to sexual violence within the family, she experiences psychological trauma, thinking, 'How can the family that protects my honor commit violence?'"

Taking the floor again for the closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nuhoğlu said, "The first conclusion of this meeting is the lack of education... Education must start at an early age. Among adults, men must be educated first, and then women must be made aware. To end domestic violence, we must create strong women: economically and in terms of education..." After stating that these were long-term solutions, Nuhoğlu explained the short-term solutions as follows: "Legal gaps must be addressed, there should be no reconciliation (for example, the police at the station should not say 'come on, make up'), and the rights of the perpetrator of violence should be restricted."

The next event within the "Program for Combating Domestic Violence," whose first leg was held at Bahçeşehir University, will be a certificate program from 30 November to 4 December. The program will later travel to Çanakkale, Zonguldak, Gaziantep, Giresun, Nevşehir, Van, Kütahya, Siirt and Mersin.