The draft law on family violence allows any witness to file a complaint, not just battered spouses or children. Courts will have the power to order those responsible for violence to avoid contact with their victims and judges will be able to impose jail sentences on anyone violating such an order.

Under existing law only the victim of domestic violence was able to file a complaint, which had to be accompanied by a doctor's report showing physical damage lasting for more than ten days. The draft law is the result of a sustained campaign by women's groups in particular, who have argued that battered women were receiving scant protection under the Turkish legal system.