A Turkish daily reported that 17,000 men involved in domestic violence underwent compulsory treatment in the past three years for curbing their violent tendencies.
Husbands were forced to undergo rehabilitation and anger management as a "preventive health measure" issued by the courts in domestic violence cases. The number includes 116 "boys," or husbands in underage marriages.
Akşam daily reported that about a quarter of husbands were either alcoholics or drug addicts.
Preventative health measures are not confined to completion of rehabilitation and include monitoring of those convicted of domestic violence after treatment so that they do not relapse into violence.
The government also provided protection to 25,000 women suffering from domestic violence over the past three years, according to the daily.
Violence against women perpetrated by their spouses is a major cause of concern as the public outcry against "femicide" continues to escalate. The government has launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the issue alongside an action plan to tackle violence. Amid new measures, which will soon be implemented nationwide, is a tracking system for domestic violence perpetrators and tougher sentences without the likelihood of a reduction of sentences in cases involving violence against women.
