The 'Biz Geleceğiz' Project, carried out within the Crab Individual Rehabilitation Model in cooperation with Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Istanbul Governorship, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, and the Social Development Center Education and Social Solidarity Association (TOGEMDER), has been completed. In the 6-month project, prepared with the aim of equipping children with basic psychosocial skills regarding child neglect and abuse, and raising awareness among adults around the child and the family, training was provided to 435 students and their parents in 13 pilot schools selected from Üsküdar and Ümraniye. Evaluating the project at its closing meeting, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that there is a global increase in measures to prevent unauthorized approaches to children worldwide. Tarhan said, "In our country, measures have recently started to be taken. At this point, parent education is very important."
The closing meeting of the 'Biz Geleceğiz' Project, carried out within the Crab Individual Rehabilitation Model in cooperation with Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Istanbul Governorship, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, and the Social Development Center Education and Social Solidarity Association (TOGEMDER), was held. Information about the project's results was provided at the program organized in Üsküdar Nakkaştepe Millet Bahçesi with the participation of representatives from project stakeholders.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “For the first time, a request came from an NGO”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that suggestions and requests regarding sexual neglect and abuse had always reached them from law enforcement forces, saying, “They would say they were experiencing such problems and ask what they should do. For the first time, a request coming from a civil society organization in the field of education is an indication of having an advanced vision. When the issue of neglect and abuse reaches the police or anyone dealing with victims, it is often too late. Treating the victim and establishing a system for the individual are already existing practices. Systems are being established in many areas of forensic medicine to prevent secondary traumas in victims.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The Biz Geleceğiz Project is a primary protection effort”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that correcting a pathology or trauma is a separate issue and continued: “For this, there are primary, secondary, and tertiary protections. Tertiary protection is rehabilitation. After an incident occurs, the individual is followed up and efforts are made to rehabilitate them. The most important and also the easiest is primary and secondary protection. Primary protection involves informing the healthy community. Progress is made by informing and raising awareness among individuals. Secondary protection is carried out in risk groups. If there is someone from the family, a risk map is drawn up, and work is done on those groups. It becomes slightly different. We can say that the ‘Biz Geleceğiz in the Crab Individual Rehabilitation Model’ project is a primary protection effort. It has been a successful project with the involvement of parents responsible for children, educators, psychology professionals, theologians, and mukhtars.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Childhood traumas are at the root of psychiatric illnesses”
Stating that the benefits of this project may not be immediately visible, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “The benefit of primary protection emerges later. A benefit that is not immediately visible comes to light. We develop children's ability to say no to many situations, we teach safe behavior, and special areas in the brain are activated. Most psychiatric illnesses seen in old age have childhood traumas at their root. The most important of these traumas are listed as emotional neglect, physical, and sexual abuse. Generally, because mothers do not want anyone to hear about it and do not defend the child, and because the individual cannot speak up themselves, a trauma occurs and continues.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also stated that the work of psychiatrists should be made easier, adding, “Globally, there is an increase in measures to prevent unauthorized approaches to children. Western countries have taken precautions. For example, a child cannot be caressed without permission while walking on the street. There are common mistakes made here. People pat the heads and pinch the cheeks of children they don't know. If a complaint is filed, it could lead to a sexual abuse charge. In the West, unauthorized approaches to children have been legally restricted. In our country, this situation has recently started to be observed.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Strengthening the family is an important part of primary protection”
Pointing out the emergence of pornographic and erotic materials in an environment of freedom, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan continued: “The US High Prosecutors' Board has a report on this issue. That report states that there are cause-and-effect relationships between the widespread use of pornographic and erotic materials and sexual violence crimes. Parents want their children to access safe internet at home, but in reality, there is a very unsafe internet environment. Children need to be taught digital literacy at a young age. Since a child does not know right from wrong until the age of 15, they are easily exposed to trauma. If there is no peace at home, if there is a conflicted family environment, if it is an oppressive family, or if there is no dialogue between the child and parents, problems develop much more in such situations. Strengthening the family is an important part of primary protection. If there is a healthy, constructive, and warm relationship within the family, parents can notice even if the child leans towards a negative area.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “80% of sexual abuse is perpetrated by first-degree relatives”
Emphasizing that approximately 80% of sexual abuse is perpetrated by first-degree relatives, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “At this point, parent education is very important. It is very valuable for TOGEMDER, as an NGO, to take ownership of this issue. We hope that such projects will continue. It's not about creating a beautiful project, but sustainability is important. This is based on volunteering.”
Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar: “The aim was to inform children, families, teachers, mukhtars, and religious officials”
Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, in her project information presentation, stated that children today do not have access to the life they deserve and are subjected to neglect and abuse, adding that this situation varies from culture to culture worldwide. Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar noted that children, who are our future, can be protected from abuse, saying, “In this project titled ‘Biz Geleceğiz’, which we embarked on for this purpose, important institutions came together and worked collaboratively. TOGEMDER, Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, Istanbul Governorship, and the Ministry of Interior implemented this project with harmonious and dedicated work, quite rapidly. In this pilot study, conducted with the aim of increasing sexual abuse awareness among children, families, schools, teachers, school staff, mukhtars, and religious officials, we prepared an educational model.”
Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar: “Training was provided to 435 students and their parents”
Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar, explaining that they worked with a large expert team of 42 people in this project, which was prepared under the project consultancy of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, said, “In 13 pilot schools selected from Ümraniye and Üsküdar by the Provincial Directorate of National Education, sexual abuse awareness and prevention training was provided to 435 students aged 6-12, their parents, classroom teachers, and school staff. 127 teachers benefited from the training. 232 parents attended the training given by a psychiatrist and a forensic scientist and had the opportunity to ask us their questions. With the sexual abuse awareness and prevention training provided within a protective and preventive scope, our children became aware of their personal boundaries. They learned to protect their bodies. They discovered ways to say no to behaviors that would harm them. They gained the skill to ask for help when needed.” Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar stated that among their long-term goals is to expand the project nationwide, using the experience gained in this 6-month pilot study and feedback from psychologists and guidance counselors working in the field.
Gülşen Özer: “We achieved multiple gains in the project”
Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education Branch Manager Gülşen Özer thanked everyone who contributed to the project, stating that the participants volunteered for it. Gülşen Özer said, “We achieved multiple gains in this project, including feedback from our students, parents, and administrators. Because during the process of preparing these trainings and bringing them to our students and parents, we also revised topics we thought we knew. Our teachers learned to read certain signs in children. Our parents expressed great satisfaction that topics they sometimes did not bring up or were hesitant to discuss were discussed, brought to the agenda, and guided through us, whom they trusted. In this respect, the project's results were significantly important and remarkably beneficial.”
TOGEMDER President Füsun Türken Uysal: “These efforts will create a reference point for us”
TOGEMDER President Füsun Türken Uysal stated that as an association founded in 2005 under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, they attach great importance to family and children, which are among the most crucial cornerstones of society. She said, “It is not only the family but society that carries the family and child through life. I believe this work, done to prevent abuse and harassment of our children, who are among the most important elements of this society, is very valuable. I hope that this project will continue with the support of our esteemed participants and educators. I believe that these efforts will create a reference point for us.” Uysal noted that the more we protect family and children, who are among our most important values, the higher our country will rise.
Istanbul Provincial Director of National Education Levent Yazıcı: “Significant data was obtained in the six-month period”
Istanbul Provincial Director of National Education Levent Yazıcı emphasized the importance of raising healthy generations, saying, “This project was very important. The title was also chosen very well. When we look at our children, we see our future. They are two elements that are identified with each other. I believe that the healthier generations we raise—psychologically sound, physically strong, enriched with science and culture, equipped with today's and tomorrow's skills—the more open our country's future will be.” Yazıcı also stated that it is important for the family and environment where a child grows up to have common values, noting that this is necessary for preventing child abuse and creating awareness. Stating that the results obtained in the six-month period provided important data, Levent Yazıcı thanked the stakeholders, especially Üsküdar Üniversitesi.
Üsküdar District Governor Demiryürek: “The child's existence and value must be known within the family”
Üsküdar District Governor Murat Sefa Demiryürek stated that he has been a public administrator for 24 years and is in his fifth year in Üsküdar. Demiryürek said, “There is a reality I observe in the field. In sexual abuse cases, especially those reaching the judicial dimension, adults are predominantly abused in public transport, public areas, and shared workplaces, while children are more often subjected to this abuse in enclosed spaces and by their relatives. Here, raising the child's awareness and enabling them to express themselves is crucial. I believe that knowing the child's existence and value within the family is one of the key concepts in this regard. Furthermore, the healthy continuation of the family's emotional state, and even if the family is broken, the ability of parents to maintain their relationship within minimum standards of respect, is vital for the child's mental health.”
The meeting, also attended by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, known for her work in forensic sciences in Turkey for crime prevention and criminal apprehension, concluded with a group photo.