Violence Against Women in Turkey: A Social Ecological Framework of Determinants and Prevention Strategies

Abstract

Violence against women (VAW) in Turkey is concerning, and to develop and implement effective prevention strategies for addressing it, careful consideration must be given to the factors that influence it. In this review, we synthesized the body of literature on VAW in Turkey according to a social ecological framework, which is a theoretical model considering the complex interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors. Consistent with this framework, we obtained research articles and commentaries in Turkish and English from a variety of national and international databases and websites regarding risk factors, cultural practices violating women's rights, and trends and current practices, including prevention efforts. Our review revealed that factors influencing VAW are marriage at young age, lower education level, alcohol abuse, and childhood trauma or abuse history for individual level; having multiple partners, low relationship satisfaction, and forced marriage for relationship level; poverty, lack of social support, and lack of employment opportunities for community level; cultural acceptance of men's superiority and dominance over women, acceptance of violence, cultural practices, and weak legal sanctions for societal level. Additionally, we reviewed multilevel prevention strategies in the extant literature on effective prevention and intervention efforts according to social ecological framework and proposed research, practice, and policy implications derived from this framework.

Role of Integrated Information Technology for Responses to Violence Against Women and Children During Covid-19 Pandemic

“…Tables 1 and 2 summarize the result of literature review. (50). Young age in marriage leads to increased exposure to violence due the husband is superior to the women (51).…”

“…The three dimensions of this level are: multiple partners, arranged or forced marriages relationship satisfaction and marital con ict. Communication skills training programs focusing on culturally appropriate con ict management should be designed for couples (50). Experts and health care providers have identi ed several bene ts of using remote support, such as dealing with isolation, reducing deterrence, fear and embarrassment, and enhancing victims' empowerment (3).…”

Learn to live with it: Lived experience of Palestinian women suffering from intimate partner violence

“…[10] Lack of support from intimate partner, family, and community is also reported in other studies. [1025] The results also showed that most intimate partners did not provide their wife with financial support. This finding is in agreement with those of other studies.…”

Ambivalent sexism of nursing students in Turkey and South Korea: A cross‐cultural comparison study

“…The subordination of women in Turkey is particularly severe because of the influences of religious traditions as well as social and political practices (Tekkas Kerman & Betrus, ). Sexist discourse by politicians in Turkey, such as “men and women are not equal from their creation,” continues to produce inequality between women and men and support sexist attitudes towards women (Agence France‐Presse in Istanbul, ).…”