JINHA

NEWS CENTER – 50% of women in Turkey experience physical violence, according to a report by Turkey's Women's Center Foundation (KAMER).

The report explored the underlying reasons why women are unable to escape violence. It was based on face-to-face meetings with over 24,700 women in eastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan) and the Black Sea region.

The report said that fear, poverty, language barriers and lack of information all contributed to the fact that of the 18% of the women who had applied to KAMER for help with their violence, only 5% followed through on their application. Economic inequality in Turkey particularly contributed to this lack of action. The report said that it was common to hear women say, "yes, I experience violence, but the children are hungry; I can't deal with it right now."

KAMER's project, titled "Women's Rights are Human Rights," will continue with a process in which KAMER staff continue a monitoring process with women. The report notes that KAMER has seen positive outcomes from the monitoring process.

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