Knife Attack on Young Trans Woman in Izmir

On August 11, a young trans woman by the name of Türkan who lives in Izmir suffered a transphobic attack.

Source: “İzmir’de Genç Trans Kadına Bıçaklı Saldırı” (Knife Attack on Young Trans Woman in Izmir”), Pembe Hayat, 12 August 2015, http://pembehayat.org/haberler.php?id=813

A young trans woman was subjected to the actions of a group of transphobic young people and was stabbed in the leg in front of Albayraklar on Bornova Street on August 11 in Izmir.

“Those are men, they’re faggots, they get f*cked in the *ss”

According to Türkan’s statement, the six young people, four men and two women, made verbal insults and engaged in harassment while passing through the hub where [Türkan and other trans women] were standing. After verbally harassing and laughing at the trans woman, the group attacked the trans woman who attempted to respond to her harassers.

Using transphobic statements, one of the men insulted the trans woman, saying things like “Those are men, like us. They are faggots, they get f*cked in the *ss.” Later the trans woman objected to these insults and a verbal altercation started.

“The men looked at each other, pulled up the courage and attacked”

Upon seeing that his friends approved of his transphobia, the young man making insults and harassing Türkan gained the courage to attack Türkan, injuring her with a knife.

The other trans people standing at the hub saved Türkan, who received a nine-centimeter-deep wound from being stabbed with the knife. They went to the police station and filed a report about the attacker and his friends, who had fled the crime scene.

“The attacker’s uncle called me and asked me to retract my police report”

While Türkan was giving her statement at the police station, the uncle of the attacker who had injured her with the knife called, saying, “My nephew just got out of prison, I’ll pull his ear, retract your report.” Türkan, who turned on her phone’s speaker so that police officers could also witness the call, did not retract her report.

The officers at the police station also told Türkan not to rescind her legal complaint and explained that she had a right to demand a lawyer during the litigation process.

Türkan, who is receiving treatment at the hospital, is currently struggling to stand up and walk. Despite being deemed to be in generally good health, she noted the wound in her groin has a depth of nine centimeters.   

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