Late intervention does not resolve the problem

Violence against women continues to come up in a different way every day. Experts state that women should first be aware that they are exposed to violence, and warn women to oppose this violence. He emphasizes that violence should not be identified only as physical, and the most permanent damage is caused by psychological violence. Stating that all kinds of support by specialists in the Social Service Centers especially in the districts is given to women who have been subjected to violence, Professor Dr. İsmet Galip Yolcuoğlu said: “Women should give feedback when they start to be exposed to violence. Intervention after waiting for a time does not solve this problem.”
 

Stating that a woman who is subjected to violence should first be aware that she has been subjected to violence, Istanbul Gelisim University Head of Social Services Department Prof. Dr. İsmet Galip Yolcuoğlu said: “One of the main causes of violence against women is the inequality of women and men in society. The fact that a woman does not have a job, is not physically strong, and unawareness of her own situation is the main factors that cause violence. However, the important thing is that the women who are subjected to violence think that there is domestic violence in every family. However, this idea is not true.”
 

Suggesting to women that they need to express when she begins to suffer violence, Prof. Dr. Yolcuoğlu said: “The woman who has been subjected to violence should intervene at the very beginning and express her feeling about the situation to the person using violence. So intervening after waiting for a time does not solve this problem. Then, she should apply to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services about this situation to get help from the authorities. The woman's obedience makes the violent behavior normalized. They usually think this will end one day, especially if they have children.”
 

Stating that social workers can help women who are subjected to violence in this regard, Prof. Dr. Yolcuoğlu suggested: “They are professionals who manage risks, intervene in family problems, anticipate problems, guide women and manage the process. The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services has a Social Service Center in many districts. Individuals who are exposed to violence can get effective counseling if they apply here. Indeed, these centers need to become more widespread. This number is around 2 thousand in Turkey while there are 100 thousand social service specialists in countries in a similar situation with us. There should be institutions providing this service nationwide.”
 

Expressing that social workers try to help women in every sense, Prof. Dr. Yolcuoğlu said: “Like the consultee doctor you go to make observations to find out the problem, social workers examine the processes in the family in detail after listening to the woman. If violence reaches a point that will harm the woman, she will be taken to any guest house with a secret address. In the following period, arrangements are made regarding the life plan such as having a woman work and getting education. If there is no reconciliation with men, studies are being made on how to live with children.”
 

Prof. Dr. Yolcuoğlu said: “Some research shows that one out of every two women has been subjected to violence” and continued: “Violence is not only a physical condition but it also has psychological, biological, social or sexual aspects. According to these researches, psychological violence creates an emotional trauma greater than physical violence. The use of insulting words, cursing, humiliation, mockery actually causes greater destruction in women than physical violence. In such cases, it is very important for the woman to stand firm.”
Emphasizing the need to increase social awareness, Prof. Dr. Yolcuoğlu warned: “In such cases, citizens have an obligation to report the condition. They should not be a mere spectator. It is necessary to inform the security department or the ministry in such cases.”
 

According to ‘the Research of Domestic Violence against Women in Turkey’ about the domestic violence against women published by Hacettepe University, 36 percent of women are exposed to physical violence, 12 percent of them are to sexual violence and 38 percent of them are at least exposed to one of both kinds of violence. In the meantime, one in five highly educated women is exposed to violence. The rate of women who are exposed to physical violence and do not mention about this to anyone is 49 percent in Turkey.