Research on domestic Violence Against Children Aged 0-8 Years in Turkey

In 2013, the Bernard van Leer Foundation supported Boğaziçi University, Humanist Bureau and Frekans Research to conduct a national scale survey on domestic violence against children aged 0-8 years in Turkey. The main objective of the survey was to obtain concrete data on the prevalence of domestic violence against children, the forms it takes, and particularly circumstances that lead to the use of violence. The target group of the survey consisted of adults who are primary caregivers of children between the ages of 0-8.

Among the results: In response to their children’s annoying behaviour, 74% of parents state resorting to emotional violence while 23% use physical violence. Parents say they resort to emotional violence because they think it works and to physical violence due to a lack of control of their temper. Most of the parents who resort to emotional violence think that such methods have no harm on their children. The results also show that the better the economic status of the family is, the less the children face and witness neglect and emotional/physical violence. The difference is particularly striking in the case of families that are unable to provide for their basic needs.

With the outcomes of this evidence-based study, different stakeholders in Turkey working on this issue will be provided a baseline analysis, and a common platform for developing methods of intervention will be created by disseminating the findings of the study to public institutions, NGOs, academia and the media.