The Women's Consulting Center was founded with the support of the Adana branch of the Turkish Women's Alliance, Housewives Consulting and Development Association, Adana Association for Women's Shelters and Consulting Centers, and Businesswomen's Association.
The members of the Women's Assembly also cooperated with the Adana governorship, Adana police headquarters, Cukurova University and Women's Law Commission of the Adana Bar for the establishment of the Consulting Center.
Two thousand applications to collective marriage ceremony
Mayor Aytac Durak, during the opening ceremony, said programs targeting women and children were their priority. He said they supported the efforts of the City Council's Women's Assembly.
Durak said they organized collective marriage ceremonies so that there are no couples in Adana and surroundings with no official marriage.
"More than 2,000 couples applied to the marriage ceremony we organized in recent months. But I want something from our daughters: please do not get married without an official wedding."
31 applications in ten days
Assembly board member Fatma Kaya said the center began operating ten days ago and added they had already received 31 applications.
Kaya said there were many immigrants in Adana from the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakir, Mardin, Siirt and Urfa.
She said 31 murders had been committed in the city in the last two months and added most of them were honor crimes.
"Our center will serve as a consulting center for women in the region who do not know where and how to apply," said Kaya.
"We will stand by the women who are faced with any kind of violence, and who have legal, economic or social problems."
Kaya also emphasized the need for a women's shelter in Adana.
"Our next goal is to set up a women's shelter in Adana," said Kaya.
"We want the women's shelter to have a consulting center too." She said
"financial obstacles" were preventing them from setting up a women's shelter at the moment.
Kaya said men should be educated in order to prevent honor crimes and violence against women. She added the Turkish Penal Code should be amended in line with the demands of the women's organizations.
Volunteers train at Mor Cati Women's Shelter
The center volunteers received training from Gulsum Kanat, a volunteer at the Mor Cati (Purple Roof) Women's Shelter Foundation, psychologist Feride Yilmaz and lawyer Canan Arin.
The volunteers accept applications everyday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. from women who ask for consulting services. The volunteers direct these women to related people or organizations that would help them with their problems.
Women who would like to apply to the Women's Consulting Center may call 0 322 351 89 02, extension 22. (BB/YS/EA/YE)
