Concluding Declaration of the 20th Assembly of Women’s Shelters and Solidarity Centres

Women who combat violence against women, who have something to say and engage in anti-violence policy building came together for the twentieth time this year at the Assembly of Women’s Shelters and Solidarity Centres hosted by Antalya Women’s Counselling Centre and Solidarity Association on 11-13 November 2017. A total of 280 women from 27 provinces, 50 women’s and LGBTI organizations, 42 public institutions and municipalities attended the Assembly which convened under the main heading of “The Assembly in its 20^th anniversary: Owning Our Achievements and Continuing our Efforts to Combat Violence Against Women”. Several key topics were addressed under this main heading in the presentations, discussions and workshops including the achievements made by the Assembly in the last two decades in combatting male violence, experiences gained vis-à-vis legal regulations and practices, the transformation of feminism and feminist struggle in Turkey and the risk of regressing on achievements and narrowing the areas of struggle because of current developments. In the State of Emergency that has been going on over a year in Turkey, we have been striving to continue our struggle and maintain solidarity with each other against all odds and in the face of all suppressive policies and practices that hinder the efforts to combat violence against women including the closing down of independent women’s organizations, negating the progress made so far in the field of violence against women or making it inaccessible, closing down of women’s counselling/solidarity centres in municipalities as a consequence of trustee appointments in municipalities and dismissal of women working in this field from their jobs. We demand that i) women’s solidarity centres, which were closed by the administrations brought in during the State of Emergency and as a consequence of trustee appointments, be reopened; ii) dismissed but experienced personnel be reinstated in their previous jobs; iii) the number of women’s solidarity/counselling centres and shelters be increased; iv) the existing solidarity/counselling centres and shelters be protected and strengthened; and v) the confidentiality of information about women be protected, which is essential for women’s safety and the combat against male violence.

In other presentations and workshops of the Assembly, participants discussed a number of topics including how feminist struggle continues in authoritarian systems in the world, the strike held in Turkey on the occasion of 8 March International Women’s Day, feminist movement and demonstrations held in several countries including Latin America, Western Europe and Tunisia, as well as good practices in combatting violence against women in Austria. A holistic view of these experiences shows us that on the one hand, policies that attack women’s lives, bodies and work are becoming prevalent all over the world, and on the other hand, women’s struggle and solidarity are becoming stronger.

As women’s organizations that stand in solidarity with women subjected to male violence, we have gained many experiences in dealing with problems faced in the practices related to combatting violence. The number of women’s solidarity/counselling centres providing support to women is still quite inadequate. Women face bad treatment and wrong practices especially in state shelters. Available social, psychological and economic support falls short of empowering women. The number of personnel working in the field of violence against women at public institutions, in particular at ŞÖNİMs, and their professional qualifications are way below par. It is our observation that the State of Emergency has caused serious setbacks in the practices and procedures of public institutions, the responsible institutions have failed to take measures and furthermore, the State of Emergency has erected a barrier to women’s enjoyment of their rights and their access to existing support services. In case of women who have the status of migrant, asylum seeker or refugee, it becomes even more challenging to access support. Reports drafted by women’s organizations for the evaluation of Turkey by GREVIO, the treaty body of the İstanbul Convention, reveal that while Turkey has had some setbacks in fulfilling some of its obligations and falls short of fulfilling others arising from the 2014 İstanbul Convention, it has totally failed to fulfil certain obligations.

Shortly after the Assembly meeting last year, some of the organizations that participated in the Assembly were closed by a Decree with the Force of Law. These included Adıyaman Women’s Life Association, Ceren Women’s Association, Gökkuşağı Women’s Association, Muş Women’s Roof Association, Muş Women’s Association, Selis Women’s Association and Van Women’s Association. These organizations, which had been working in their respective provinces to distance women from violence, were vital to the empowerment of women. We see the closing of these organizations as an attack and obstruction to not only against women’s movement but also to the right of women and children to build a life free from violence. We stand by our friends with whom we have been struggling together for years in the face of violence against women; and we hereby state once again that the closure of these women’s organizations will not stand in the way of our joint efforts.

We, Women’s Organizations that comprise the Assembly, in agreement with women, women and LGBTI Organizations that have come together for the 20^th Women’s Shelters and Solidarity/Counselling Centres, once more reiterate the below demands to combat male violence that threatens our living space:

1. The State of Emergency which has been continuing for 16 months and which has impeded the efforts to combat violence against women should be lifted as soon as possible. Closed women’s solidarity centres should be opened, women experienced in this field but dismissed from their jobs as a consequence of the State of Emergency and trustee appointments should be reinstated. Closed women’s organizations should be reopened.
2. Central and local managers at every level should stop making sexist, homophobic, discriminatory and racist statements or hate speech, all of which constitute a crime according to national and international legislation. Legal action should be taken by relevant bodies against those who make such statements.
3. The purpose of the Law no. 6284, which is drafted based upon the İstanbul Convention, is, to protect women and family members experiencing or at risk of violence, taking the woman’s statement as a basis. Any attempt to change the content of the Law no. 6284 that would regress current practices in favour of women should be stopped.
4. In accordance with the İstanbul Convention and the Law no. 6284, both central and local governments should increase the number of women’s shelters and solidarity centres that are run from a woman’s perspective.
5. It is imperative to urgently eliminate the requirement that a woman, who contacts ŞÖNİMs for support, first give a statement at a police station, without her demand, for admissibility of her application to ŞÖNİMs. This requirement is contradictory to ŞÖNİMs’ single door system against violence and impedes the efforts to combat violence against women.
6. The practice of municipalities, which have their own shelters, to refer women first to ŞÖNİMs before admitting them to shelters is contrary to international conventions and laws; and should end. The central government should stop putting pressure on municipalities to follow this practice.
7. Women with disabilities, who either cannot access ŞÖNİMs and women’s shelters or cannot find available shelters despite the 40% quota set by the By-law on Opening and Running Women’s Guesthouses, are referred to rehabilitation centres even if their lives are risk. This practice should be stopped. The By-Law should be revised, providing equal access for women with disabilities to ŞÖNİMs and women’s shelters. Shelters should be adjusted to accommodate persons with orthopaedic disabilities and/or visual impairments.
8. Persons who have disability awareness and who are proficient in means of communication such as sign language should be recruited in anti-violence mechanisms so that persons with disabilities can receive full support when they seek assistance.
9. Working conditions of shelter staff should be improved; they should be given regular supervisory support and secondary trauma training as well as gender equality training.
10. The number of skilled staff working at ŞÖNİMs and shelters should be increased. Job quotas determined for professionals should not be filled by other professions such as preachers/imams; and women and children staying at shelters should not be asked to be involved in religious activities against their will.
11. Gender equality trainings should be provided to women staying at shelters to improve their awareness and life skills.
12. When asylum seeking women, refugee women or migrant women contact ŞÖNİMs for assistance, the practice of asking these women to present a medical report for battery and assault, without any legal basis, should stop.
13. The confidentiality of information about women and children staying at shelters should be protected without impeding their rights to education, health and housing.
14. The current 3% quota at nurseries for children whose mothers are living in shelters should be increased. The quota should be applied effectively by nursery staff and women.
15. Women’s shelters and solidarity centres should have professionals such as child development specialists, child psychologists and social workers experienced in working with children.
16. Activities held with children and adolescents at women’s shelters and solidarity centres should be standardized (greeting, first meeting, individual follow-up, social and educational programs, psycho-social support).
17. The by-law article, which is yet to be implemented, that provides for safe houses or lease support for women who has sons over than 12 years old should be put in practice.
18. Social houses should be opened to temporarily accommodate women in poverty and impoverished women.
19. As an alternative to Alo 183 Social Support Helpline, which is not specialized in violence against women, it is necessary to set up a free and 24/7 accessible Support Helpline that provides multi-language service and support especially to women.
20. The Law on Mediation in Legal Disputes, which states that “Mediation cannot be used for resolving disputes that involve allegations of domestic violence”, should be invoked in consistency with the relevant article of the İstanbul Convention that prohibits mandatory alternative dispute resolution processes including mediation.
21. Conciliation is a process used with respect to offenses that are investigated and prosecuted if a complaint is filed. Under Turkish Penal Code, if the offense of bodily harm with intent is committed against a spouse, the offense is not subject to complaint. Therefore, the method of conciliation is not offered. However, in practice, spouses are offered the option of conciliation in such cases. This practice should be abandoned at once.
22. Mediation process cannot encourage parties to reconcile. The news reports by media outlets to the effect that family mediation would first encourage parties to reconcile create a misperception. To avoid this, the relevant departments of the Ministry of Justice should follow and rebut this type of misinformation.
23. The Ministry of Justice should seek the opinion of women’s organizations on family mediation.
24. Turkish Penal Code provision which stipulates that the offense of bodily harm with intent committed against a former spouse or a partner is investigated/prosecuted subject to a complaint, is against the definition of domestic violence in the İstanbul Convention and should be revised to be in accordance with the Convention.
25. “Stalking” should be criminalised under the TPC, as referenced by the İstanbul Convention, to which Turkey is a party.
26. Child and forced marriages should be criminalised under the TPC based on the provisions in the İstanbul Convention.
27. Courthouse officers, police officers and the gendarmerie currently act as conciliators in addition to lawyers. It is found out that, in practice, conciliation process is carried out at police stations and court registries, which are not suitable locations for the mediation process and may place pressure on women. Furthermore, attempts are made to reconcile the parties under the name of conciliation. When such wrong practices are detected, they should be reported and notified to relevant authorities.
28. Due to a limitation in the Code of Criminal Procedures, women are not entitled to an attorney support/legal assistance unless they are illiterate or below 18 years of age. In order to provide legal protection in line with the İstanbul Convention and also to apply the principle of equality of arms in criminal law for women, the relevant article should not be limited only to the offense of sexual assault. With respect to the offences of sexual harassment, bodily harm, insult, disturbing peace and tranquillity, threats and blackmail and provided that these are committed against a woman, a new regulation should be introduced granting the victims of these crimes the right to request an attorney appointed by bar associations.
29. As a rule, the practice of joint custody should not be exercised and only be resorted to as an exception because awarding a joint custody ex officio, without a request from the parties, might have adverse consequences for the best interest of the child and the common good of women since this would coerce a woman to come together with the perpetrator.
30. Traumatised women living in conflict zones should have easy access to psychological support.
31. Inter-ministerial protocols should be designed to provide regular/mandatory vocational trainings for judges, prosecutors, attorneys, law enforcement officers, social workers, school principals, school counsellors, teachers and hospital staff. The topics of trainings should include gender, sexual and gender-based violence, migrants, discrimination against LGBTI individuals and persons with disability.
32. Public institutions and local governments should collect minimum data in compliance with international standards and with a focus on empowering women. They should process the data, make it public regularly and take it into account while developing policies against male violence.
33. Public institutions and local governments should carry out regular and reliable research about the dimensions, nature, consequences and impacts of male violence against women and make the findings public.

Components of the Assembly of Women’s Shelters and Counselling/Solidarity Centres*

1. Adana Women’s Solidarity Centre and Shelter Association (AKDAM)
2. Antalya Women’s Counselling Centre and Solidarity Association
3. Aydın Söke Women’s Shelter Association
4. Bodrum Women’s Solidarity Association
5. Buca Evka-1 Women’s Culture and Solidarity Association (BEKEV)
6. Çanakkale Association for Utilizing Women’s Handicraft and Women’s Counselling Centre (ELDER)
7. Çiğli Evka-2 Women’s Culture Association (ÇEKEV)
8. Association of Women With Disabilities (ENG-KAD)
9. Fethiye Women’s Solidarity Group
10. İzmir Women’s Solidarity Association
11. Women’s Solidarity Foundation
12. Women’s Solidarity Foundation (KADAV)
13. Women from the closed Adıyaman Women’s Life Association
14. Women from the closed Ceren Women’s Association
15. Women from the closed Gökkuşağı (Rainbow) Women’s Association
16. Women from the closed Muş Women’s Roof Association
17. Women from the closed Selis Women’s Association
18. Women from the closed Van Women’s Association
19. Koza Women’s Association
20. Mersin Independent Women’s Association (BKD)
21. Mor Çatı Women’s Shelter Foundation
22. Mor Salkım Women’s Solidarity Association
23. Muğla Emek Benim Women’s Association
24. Şanlıurfa Yaşamevi Women’s Solidarity Association
25. Life, Women, Environment, Culture and Business Cooperative (YAKA-KOOP)

* Adıyaman Women’s Life Association, Ceren Women’s Association, Gökkuşağı Women’s Association, Muş Women’s Roof Association, Muş Women’s Association, Selis Women’s Association and Van Women’s Association, which are components of the Assembly of Women’s Shelters and Solidarity/Counselling Centres, could not sign the Concluding Declaration because they were closed by the Decree (KHK/677) dated 22 November 2016 on Some Measures Within the Scope of the State of Emergency.