Factors Preventing Women from Access to Shelters who were Exposed to Violence

Factors Preventing Women from Access to Shelters who were Exposed to Violence The establishment of shelters and access to those shelters, considered as the service for intervention to violence, are vital for women, who are exposed to violence, to move away from violence. This study aims to determine the problems faced by women during the access to shelters and present recommendations to eliminate these problems. The in-depth interviews were made with 43 women who were exposed to violence and staying in shelters. Majority of those women had first applied to police station or called ALO 155 themselves or their children, family members or neighbors did it on behalf of them and then reached shelters finally. The negative attitudes of police officers and social environment of women family members, relatives, neighbors, etc towards shelters or a police officer, who is the relative or friend of perpetrator and/or family of perpetrator, are the most important factors that prevent women from access to shelters. The lack of information and action depends on patriarchal cultural values of police officers may also be considered as the factors preventing women from access to shelters. It is foreseen that the programs should be broadcasted both in media and internet environment in the scope of visibility of shelters to make it easy for women victims of violence to access to shelters.