Physical violence against women in the context of crime: Law enforcement officers and lawyers

Gender-based violence against women, a societal issue, has been the subject of numerous studies. In studies addressing violence against women in the literature, the phenomenon is often approached solely from the perspective of women, neglecting other variables. The aim of this study is to conduct a sociological analysis of solutions to gender-based violence against women from the perspectives of legal professionals and law enforcement officers. In this context, a total of 20 participants, including five police officers, five lawyers, five prosecutors, and five judges, were reached for the research, and interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview technique. According to the research findings, opinions were expressed regarding the inadequacy of laws addressing gender-based violence against women, suggesting that even if the laws were sufficient, there were challenges in implementation, and information was obtained about the inadequacy of enforcement laws. Additionally, the study revealed that the limited authority of police and legal professionals (excluding judges), coupled with the high caseload in courts, are factors causing delays and disruptions in the legal process. With the information obtained, it is believed that this study will offer a different perspective on the fight against gender-based violence against women.