Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ yesterday issued a comprehensive directive for the Police Department, asking police and gendarmerie officers to better protect women facing physical or emotional harm.

In the directive, he said preventing violence against women was one of the key tenets of the government, noting that its rise was one of the main factors threatening family harmony. Bozdağ said security forces had to improve their response to cases of violence against women.

"In recent years, violent attacks, especially against women, have risen to dramatic levels. Such attacks create shockwaves within the society. Printed and visual media report instances of beatings, torture and murder. The primary victims are women and children," Bozdağ said.

The issue should be accepted by security forces as a key matter of state, he said, adding that the failure to properly implement the current law for protecting families and women was one of the main impediments to saving lives.

He said officers needed to visit the homes of those under protection at least once a week and needed to be in constant contact with victims' close family members like grandfather, uncle, aunt or others. The neighbors of women under protection need to be consulted and the vicinity of homes are required to be under constant surveillance. Reports prepared should be submitted to the National Judicial Network judiciously.

Bozdağ also asked police and gendarmerie officers to initiate protective measures as soon as the legal process begins and tell the protected individual to ensure that he or she immediately alerts the authorities whenever he or she feels threatened.