Female victims of violence and abuse by men often make the headlines in Turkey, but now men are also raising their voices, to complain about ex-spouses. More than 400 Turkish men have lodged complaints with the parliament’s Petition Commission over outrageous alimonies and being barred from seeing their children.

A total of 287 divorced men called for their rights to be protected, saying that they were unable to see their children, that mothers raised barriers for fathers and that existing procedures worked against men. Another 151 requested legal amendments to reduce the alimonies they are forced to pay.

The Petition Commission first examines the requests and complaints it receives and then puts them on the General Assembly’s agenda. Contacted by Al-Monitor, the commission’s deputy chairman, Halil Urun, said the issue required “comprehensive” study before any action could be taken.

“Court rulings in favor of dads are often not heeded. A judge, for instance, rules that a man should be allowed to see his child every week, but the woman takes the child and goes away,” said Urun, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party.