Family minister hints at stricter regulation on violence against women

The Turkish Family and Social Policies Ministry has initiated work with the Justice Ministry to draft a new legal regulation levying heavier punishments for violence against women amid a legal saga over the attack of a man who attacked a woman wearing shorts, according to Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya.

In a show of solidarity with Ayşegül Terzi, who was kicked in the face on an Istanbul public bus for wearing shorts by Abdullah Çakır, the minister said a legal change concerning such assaults must be made.

Speaking to CNN Türk, Sayan Kaya said that upon an initiative from her ministry, the Justice Ministry has conducted a study on sentences regarding violence against woman.

"The legal system would also do whatever is required," she said, adding that as the ministry, they would follow the case against Çakır closely.  

Recalling that she called Terzi as soon as she heard of the incident, Sayan Kaya said: "It is in no way an acceptable situation. It was impossible to accept such a thing when we do not even accept verbal violence. [He] should get the punishment. He should get it according to society as well. This is what the expectations are," she said.

In a latest development, Çakıroğlu, who is currently under trial, was released on Nov. 1 after his lawyer objected to his arrest pending trial, making it the second time the suspect, who said his actions "conformed to Islamic law," has been released in the case.