Of women who are a party to a divorce case in Izmir family courts, status of being subject to violence by their spouses

This research aims to analyse women that have an ongoing divorce case at family courts, such as how much and how they are exposed to violence during their marriage, what kind of problems they face during divorce process, what kind of problems they face during juristic process, whether they get legal support or not, whether they are in need of consultancy during their marriage or divorce process, whether they are informed about the juristic process.The universe of the research is women that have an ongoing divorce case at İzmir family courts. 218 women were surveyed in this research. Proportional cluster sampling was used in the study.This research analyses women that have an ongoing divorce case at family courts, such as whether they are exposed to violence, kind of problems they face during divorce process, their knowledge on juristic process, problems they face during juristic process, whether they receive consultancy during their marriage or divorce process. Relational screening model was used in this study. The responses given by the respondents were interpreted by analysing frequencies and percentage distributions and chi-square method among the relation seeking statistical methods, by making use of SPSS program.The results of this research is thought to be guiding and opinion constituting for determining the needs and problems of women during divorce process and developing suggetions for solutions.According to the results exposure to physical and sexual violence is higher for women who married involuntarily. Nevertheless, exposure to emotional/verbal, economic and psychological violence is higher for women who married voluntarily. Another finding suggests that exposure to physical, emotional/verbal, economic and psychological violence is higher for women who do not work. On the other hand, exposure to sexual violence is higher for working women. Exposure to emotional/verbal and psychological violence is higher for women who do not have social security. Exposure to physical, sexual and economic violence is higher for women who have social security. The ratio of women who came accross economic problems and social oppression are higher for those who do not work. Working women are more likely to encounter problems about juristic process and security or psychological and emotional problems. Another finding suggests that women who married before age 21 are more likely to come accross economic, psychologic and emotional problems, and problems regarding social oppression and security during divorce process. On the other hand, women who married after age 21 are more likely to encounter problems regarding juristic process. Women who are graduated from secondary/high school are more likely to receive family or marriage consultancy before divorce case, and women who are graduated from college/higher are more likely to receive family or marriage consultancy during divorce case. Another finding suggests that more women who do not work have more information on the law number 4320 which is on protection of family.Key words: Family courts, Spouse violence, Divorce process