Abstract:

The aim of this study is to understand violence against women from a gender perspective, to understand women's perceptions of the concept of violence and to examine women's conceptualizations regarding the definition of violence. How violence is defined and internalized plays an important role in the prevention of all kinds of violence against women. For this reason, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 female participants on the axis of the meanings that women attribute to the concept of violence. In addition, the violence experiences of the participants and the coping strategies they were exposed to were examined. In the study, it was revealed that all of the participants were exposed to different types of violence and as a result they faced certain traumatic events. In addition, women's definitions of violence, their experiences of violence and their coping strategies varied depending on the educational, social and economic status of the participants. In a social system where gender roles recreate and reproduce themselves within the current social changes, how violence against women is defined and violence practices also change. There is a direct relationship between life practices and identity. Therefore, the identities and roles attributed to women are a reflection of the social order. In this context, naming violence helps to reframe the discussions on the nature of the concept of violence and to understand its manifestation in the social. Therefore, during the study; the manifestation of violence in the society of lifestyles and attitudes transferred to the next generation with cultural codes has been tried to be explained in detail. In this study, while the definitions and perceptions of women towards violence are examined, the roles attributed to women by the society are emphasized.

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