According to Adil Demir, the head of Denizli Bar Association, local courts have handed restraining orders to a total of 270 husbands during the last year.

Demir said, from July 10, 2003 till the end of last year, 124 husbands were ordered to keep away from their homes temporarily because they treated their wives or children badly. He said 146 husbands were ordered the same in the first half of 2004.

"Family courts uneager to divorce couples"

Demir said Denizli courts handled about 5,000 divorce cases in the last year. Divorces were on the rise because of the increase in the number of women who have gained economic independence, he told.

According to the Bar Association chair:

* Couples directly apply to courts to get a divorce. But the Civil Law does not support immediate divorce.

* Courts order husbands, who beat their wives, to keep away from the house for a while, in an attempt to prevent the couples from getting divorced.

* Men, who beat their wives have to keep away from the house for three months, according to the court order. Those who do not comply with the court order are sent to prison.

* The family court was set up a year ago. There were a total of 270 applications to two family courts. All 270 applicants demanded a restraining order against their husbands.

* The courts ordered 270 men to keep away from the house for three months, or not to come home drunk.

“All 270 complied with the restraining order because none of them were sent to prison,” the bar chair believes. (BB/EA/EK)