Bahçeşehir University Says "Stop" to Domestic Violence

The project launched last year by the Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Law, jointly with the American Bar Association, to combat domestic violence in Türkiye is continuing successfully. Within the scope of the project, professional groups consisting of police officers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, social workers, doctors, forensic medicine specialists, imams and teachers are given informative training under the title "Domestic Violence Clinical Trainings and Public Awareness Panels."

Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nuhoğlu, Dean of the Faculty of Law, whom we asked for her views on the subject, said the following about the project, which she directs and which they have implemented in coordination with Prof. Dr. Feridun Yenisey, a faculty member of the Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Law, on its legal content:

"Increasing violence, especially domestic violence and the trauma it causes, is a serious problem affecting not only the people of our country but the whole world. We took action with the conviction that, as a university, we should contribute to solving this problem. We thought that if this unacceptable act, which has emotional, economic, physical and sexual dimensions, is adequately defined, individuals, families and therefore society will know their legal rights regarding violence and will be able to draw the framework of their responsibilities and the gaps in legal practice more clearly. That is how our process began. We have a team that uses effective communication techniques when meeting with people exposed to traumatic experiences, and we are confident that they will help them meet their medical needs, secure their legal rights and develop an appropriate referral plan. We have thus created a strong and beneficial platform of social solidarity. We believe in ourselves."

10 PROVINCES IN THE FIRST STAGE

In the "Women's Issues Solution Draft,"whose training content was determined by American expert lawyer Mary Ellingen and which was written by Dr. Leylâ Welkin, the target audience consists of professional groups including police officers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, social workers, doctors, forensic medicine specialists, imams and teachers. The number of provinces selected across Türkiye for the first stage of this project is 10.
In these provinces, three trainers experienced in communication, violence and legislation, namely an expert, an academic and a lawyer, share information on the subject with panel participants limited to 25 people. At the end of each training day, the meeting is opened to the general public for half an hour. Speakers in this program, supported by written and visual materials, include Leylâ Welkin, Assist. Prof. Dr. Neylân Ziyalar and Assist. Prof. Dr. Sinan Altunç, a faculty member of the Bahçeşehir Faculty of Law.

The project was launched in Istanbul on 7-9 October, and its second stop was Çanakkale, which hosted the panel held on 21-23 October. The process will continue with information meetings in Zonguldak on 18-20 November 2011, Nevşehir on 9-11 December 2011, Giresun on 16-18 December 2011, Gaziantep on 6-8 January 2012, Van on 20-22 January 2012, Kütahya on 27-29 January 2012 and Siirt on 10-12 February 2012, and will end with the team's visit to Erzincan on 24-26 February 2012.

THE ISSUE WILL GO TO PARLIAMENT!

Noting that there are also roundtable workshops on "Eliminating Gaps in Legislation in Combating Domestic Violence," the first of which the same team held on 23-24 November 2010 and which will begin on 6-7 March 2012, Prof. Nuhoğlu stated that they are grateful to Att. Aydeniz Alisbah Tuskan, Chair of the Istanbul Bar Association Women's Rights Center, Att. Vildan Yirmibeşoğlu, Chair of the Istanbul Governorship Provincial Human Rights Advisory Desk, and the Istanbul Police Community Policing Branch Directorate for their support.

In the final stage of the project, a "Final Declaration" will be published. Bringing the evaluation to Parliament is also on the agenda.