Soyalp plans violence prevention and counselling centre for Gönyeli-Alayköy

Damla Soyalp, CTP candidate for Mayor of Gönyeli-Alayköy, said they plan to introduce the Violence Prevention and Counselling Centre (Şiddeti Önleme ve Danışma Merkezi, ŞÖDAM) in Gönyeli-Alayköy. The centre provides counselling and referrals for people who have experienced violence or are at risk of it. The service announced by Soyalp covers facilitating access to legal, psychological and health support, as well as initiatives to strengthen women’s economic independence.

Soyalp said they want to bring the model, established through cooperation between the CTP Women’s Organisation and CTP-run municipalities, to the area. She said the municipality should take responsibility for listening to people seeking support in response to violence and referring them to the relevant institutions.

Preventive education and referrals to support services

According to Soyalp, people who have experienced physical, psychological, economic, digital or sexual violence, as well as those at risk of violence, will be able to apply to the centre. Applicants are expected to be referred to relevant support organisations according to their needs.

Soyalp said the centre was not intended solely as a service to turn to after violence has occurred, noting that preventive education and initiatives to support women’s economic empowerment were also part of the model. She stressed that violence against women must be addressed alongside poverty, economic dependence and gender inequality.

Childcare and participation in working life

Noting that economic dependence can make it harder for women to leave an abusive environment, Soyalp said children’s safety must also be taken into account. She recalled that the municipal crèche project aims to make childcare more accessible to low-income families and support women’s participation in working life.

Soyalp also said access to municipal support should not require personal connections or an intermediary, and that services must be provided equally to everyone. The announcement did not provide a timetable, budget or application location for the introduction of ŞÖDAM in Gönyeli-Alayköy.