Turkey not Able to Protect Women

Turkey cannot protect women who apply to institutions after they have been exposed to violence because the state does not provide safety of life. Four women became victims of violence within the last five days. Kartaler from the Mor Çatı women's shelter calls for increasing the capacity of social services.

Burçin Belge

"The Turkish state is not able to protect the women who apply to official institutions because they have been exposed to violence. Yet, according to the Constitution, the legislation and international agreements, it is the duty of the state to provide a safe life to those women".

Four women who had applied to state institutions became victims of violence during the last five days in Turkey. Newspapers reported about the case of Yasin İlbaş in Adana (eastern Mediterranean cost) who killed his former mother-in-law Gülten Sansür and injured his wife Cemile Seçil Sansür. According to the news, Sansür had previously applied for help because of her violent husband. At the weekend, primary school teacher Saadet Ulus was killed by Yasin Akbaş, about whom she had filed a criminal complaint precedingly. On Monday (15 March) a person form Bingöl in south-eastern Anatolia cut off the nose and the ears of his pregnant wife because of a three-month prison fine imposed on him due to the complaint of his wife.

Gökçe Kartaler, volunteer of the women's shelter Mor Çatı ('Purple Roof'), recalled a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) given in June 2009. The court sentenced Turkey to a compensation fine in the case of Nahide Opuz because "she had not been protected by the state" when she applied for help by reason of her violent husband.

Requirements of the protocol must be fulfilled

Kartaler indicated that subsequent to this decision, the Ministries of the Interior and of Women and Families signed a joint protocol. However, difficulty was experienced for the implementation of the protocol.

"According to the protocol, records must be drawn up instantly if a woman comes to the police to document the exposure to violence. If the woman does not want to go back home, she shall be directed to a shelter. Yet, the statement made by Kavaf shows that the police do not fulfil this responsibility", Kartaler argued. Selma Aliye Kavaf is the Minister for Women and Families.

Social service units not available 7/24

In Kartaler's opinion, not only police forces are responsible for women murders but also the lack of capacities regarding Social Services and Child Protection Agencies.

Kartaler calls for increasing these capacities since even if the police directs the women to a shelter, there is no social service unit available 24 hours a day seven days a week. The police cannot reach social service officials off-time. Another deficiency is the education within the service.

"Many police officers do not know where they are supposed to look for help and that the prosecutor has to be informed in case of an application related to violence", Kartaler said.

Social workers needed in police stations

What needs to be done? Kartaler replies, "First of all, a service has to be established that works 24 hours a day seven days a week. The police must be able to contact experts on domestic violence at any time, they could provide a more sensitive and effective approach. Additionally, social service experts are needed at police stations".

Kartaler also touches upon the importance of vocational training for police officers for the prevention of violence against women. "Education is insufficient. When a police officer changes his/her position, it is not checked whether s/he received training accordingly. The presence of a trained police officer in every police station for every shift is not being monitored."

"Considering European standards, one save place for a women and her child is allotted in 7,500 people. In Turkey, we struggle to open shelters for municipalities of a population exceeding 50,000 people", Kartaler explains and expresses her hopes: "There are positive developments. Now we are struggling for their implementations".

Minister Kavaf: "The police did not inform the ministry"

Minster Kavaf declared last week that the ministry had not been informed by the police about the four women who were killed because necessary precautions had not been taken despite their complaints at the police. The ministry could not attend to the procedures because there are several applications of women carrying the same name, Kavaf said. (BB/VK)