Over 80,000 victims of violence appeal to Turkish Family Ministry in two years
Rifat Başaran - ANKARA
DHA photo
More than 80,000 victims of violence have appealed to the Ministry of Family and Social Planning for assistance, the ministry has stated in response to a parliamentary inquiry, though the deputy who posed the question has insisted that this number is actually far below the actual figure.A total of 84,100 people have filed applications with Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNİM) across the country after being subjected to violence, the ministry said in response to a question from independent Ankara deputy Aylin Nazlıaka.
Nazlıaka, previously a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), had inquired how many people asked for help after being subjected to violence, sexual assault or rape between 2011 and 2016.
The response stated that 60,522 of applicants, nearly 72 percent, were women, while 18,452 were men and 5,126 were children.
However, Nazlıaka claimed that the real figure was “far higher” than the official announcement.
“Even data from media reports is higher [than the ministry’s figures]. The ministry not only declined to provide figures for 2011 and 2013 but also left our questions unanswered,” she added.