Verbal and psychological violence against women in Turkey and its determinants

by Ömer Alkan, Ceyhun Serçemeli, Kenan Özmen

Verbal and psychological violence against women is considered an important sociological and legal problem and a serious threat within the context of basic human rights. The aim of this study was to detect the factors affecting verbal and psychological violence against women in Turkey, a developing country. The micro data set of the National research on domestic violence against women in Turkey, which was conducted by the Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies, was employed in this study. The factors affecting women’s exposure to verbal and psychological violence by their husbands or partners in Turkey were determined using binary logistic and binary probit regression analyses. Women whose husbands or partners cheated and used alcohol were more exposed to verbal and psychological violence compared to others. In addition, women who were exposed to physical, economic, and sexual violence were more exposed to verbal and psychological violence compared to others. Exposure to violence by first-degree relatives increases the possibility of exposure to verbal and psychological violence. More effective results can be achieved by prioritizing women likelier to be exposed to violence in policies aimed at preventing acts of verbal violence against women in our country. There are few studies on verbal and psychological violence against women. Therefore, it will be useful to conduct relevant studies from different perspectives.