Our workshops on preventing violence against women with men continue

Our workshops on preventing violence against women with men continue

We continue the workshops on gender-based violence with men that we started last year. The workshops take place with men who are adult, married and with children. It is conducted in Arabic and conversational style by an expert working in the field of gender and Syrian culture. Participants first meet and get to know each other, and then discuss specific topics. It proceeds in a question-and-answer format and each participant is encouraged to express himself. We start the workshops by talking about their own experiences of violence in order to increase the awareness of the participants about what violence can involve. Since the participants are Syrian men, they mostly talk about the violence they have experienced because of their ethnic and cultural identities. We talk about examples of discrimination and difficulties they experience in daily life and in accessing basic services.

During the workshop, the participants are asked questions such as what violence is, what domestic violence means, what comes to mind when it comes to violence against women, what they think when it comes to child marriage, and answers are received. In addition, detailed information is given to the participants about all these topics. The presentation is supported with graphics on the rates of violence against women in Turkey and in the world, and news on violence against women. Conventions and laws that are valid in Turkey and internationally against violence against women are conveyed.

119 men have participated in the workshops so far. Most participants see the existence of violence in the fields of domestic violence, child marriage, economic violence, verbal abuse and stand against violence. However, the majority think that laws on domestic violence should not be applied. They think husband and wife should talk first, and ask families for support if the problem cannot be resolved.

As for child marriage, many participants state that even when marriage under 18 years old is legal, they do not approve of it and that it has negative consequences for both parties.

At the end of the workshop, the participants express what they remember about the workshop in writing and drawing. Some of the messages they produced: “I see the husband as the same as the woman. Husband is human, wife is human”, “Only the generous are generous to women, and only the lowly treat them with contempt”, “We are in favor of protecting the rights of women”, “(for men) The best of you is the one who is best to their family”.

At the end of the workshop, most participants express their satisfaction with the fact that there is a study for men, especially Syrian men, and that there is work on violence against women.