An examination of foreign women's experiences of violence in the scope of Law No. 6284: The case of Trabzon province

Violence is one of the most significant social problems, particularly affecting women. This problem takes on a much more complex and profound dimension for migrant women. The intertwined nature and mutual interaction of violence and migration make it important to address both issues together. During the migration process, women face not only the economic, social and cultural difficulties that come with migration, but also problems arising from being women. Such an environment makes women more vulnerable to different forms of violence and increases the need for protection mechanisms. In this context, this study aims to reveal the impact of Law No. 6284 on the Protection of the Family and the Prevention of Violence against Women, which is in force in Turkey, on the experiences of violence among foreign women, using the province of Trabzon as an example. The study examines the experiences of violence among foreign women residing in Trabzon province, their behaviour in the face of violence, their thoughts and cultural values regarding the phenomenon of violence, the changes they have experienced and observed since coming to Turkey, and their processes of benefiting from the provisions of Law No. 6284. Within this scope, a qualitative research method was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the interviewees. The interviewees were reached using the snowball sampling method, and the data were interpreted using content analysis. Fifteen foreign women victims of violence who had migrated to Turkey from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Russia, and Syria were interviewed. During this process, the victims' definitions of violence, the profiles of perpetrators, the emotional effects of violence on victims, their behaviour in seeking help after violence, their home country's attitude towards violence and opportunities for seeking help, differences between Turkey and their home countries, their level of knowledge about Law No. 6284 and their status in receiving services, the difficulties encountered in receiving services, their satisfaction, and their suggestions regarding combating violence. The findings show that foreign women victims of violence benefit only partially from Law No. 6284 and that various changes need to be made in the implementation processes of the Law and that the specific circumstances of foreign women need to be taken into account in the process. Keywords: Violence, Migration, Foreign Women, Violence Against Women, Law No. 6284