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"We want shelter not graves!" © Private
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In 2005, a legal provision came into force in
Turkey for municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants to open at least one
shelter for survivors of domestic violence. According to this law, over 3,000
shelters should be opened around the country. To date, not a single municipality
has established a new shelter because of limited budgets and a lack of political
will.
Across Turkey, there are currently 16 shelters in total. One of
them is Mor Çatý (Purple Roof), a well-known women’s solidarity center in
Istanbul. For the last 16 years, the center has helped women fleeing from
domestic violence by providing shelter and psychological and legal
support.
“I’ve had very positive experiences since working for
Mor Çatý’s shelter. People I know outside the center have started to
speak more openly about domestic violence and some ask me for advice.”
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Volunteer working at Mor Çatý shelter
Most women get in touch with the
centre via its confidential telephone helpline, while others are referred to it
by the police or social workers. Mor Çatý cooperates with other organizations
and authorities to offer women information and advice over the telephone and
during face-to-face meetings.
In many cases, women urgently need a safe
place to stay. Mor Çatý shelter tries to help wherever possible, but it is in
desperate need of more capacity and resources. Many women arrive at the shelter
having escaped from their homes with little more than the clothes they are
wearing.
Apart from accommodation, the shelter offers women a community
and prepares them for living independently. Residents of the shelter, in the
best of circumstances, start to work and earn money two months after they
arrive. However, for those who cannot work, and for the most traumatized, this
process can last for many months, increasing the shelter’s need for space and
financial support.
The Turkish government needs to immediately support
shelters and urgently open new ones by providing funding and practical support.
Municipalities need government support to help women who have escaped from
domestic violence live independently.