The Social Work and Counseling Program at Mersin University's School of Social Sciences hosted a significant awareness seminar on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The event, aimed to raise public awareness about combating violence against women and to strengthen students' professional and academic knowledge.

The seminar's speaker was Özge Sabahoğlu, a social worker from the Violence Prevention and Monitoring Center (ŞÖNİM) of the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services. Sabahoğlu gave a comprehensive presentation on the types of violence against women, the social origins and effects of violence, risk factors, and intervention processes. She also emphasized the functioning of protective and preventive services for victims of violence, application mechanisms, and the importance of multidisciplinary work.

The training included information on women's legal rights, legal regulations in the Turkish legal system, the scope of Law No. 6284, protective and preventive injunctions, and the use of digital application tools such as the Women's Support Application (KADES). Students gained valuable perspective on how professional roles and responsibilities are implemented in practice by hearing firsthand the experiences of a social worker working in the field.

The event highlighted the importance of human rights, equality, and the empowerment approach, which are fundamental components of social work education. At the end of the seminar, students posed questions about the field to Özge Sabahoğlu. Sabahoğlu was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Social Services Program Instructor Dr. Pelin Kılınç Özüölmez and Instructor Dr. Gülten Acar, and the seminar concluded with a photo shoot.