Feminists' dilemma-with or without the state? Violence against women and women's shelters in Turkey

Abstract

This article aims to describe the achievements of the women's movement in the struggle against domestic violence in Turkey and the points of contention between the state and feminists regarding this issue. Our goal in analyzing the Turkish case of violence against women is to reflect on how women's organizations work with the state; what they demand from it; and how they respond to the complex situations and dilemmas of state funded women's shelters. The article is based on field research; we used techniques of participant observation at annual congresses organized by women's organizations specialized in fighting violence against women and in-depth interviews with feminist activists, volunteers and social workers at women's shelters. It describes the experiences of feminists in Turkey, who are in the position of receiving support from and working closely with the state in running women's shelters.