Trans woman killed in İzmir: ‘Our lives are valuable’

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A trans woman was killed and three trans women were severely injured in different attacks in İzmir province over the past months.

In a recent incident, Günay Özyıldız was stabbed to death at the entrance to her house in İzmir's Karabağlar district. An inquiry has been reportedly launched into the killing of the 48-year-old trans woman.

Amid these hate attacks in the city, Şimşek Yiğit from the Young LGBTI+ Association has talked to Yıldız Tar from Kaos GL. Yiğit has announced that her family claimed Özyıldız's deceased body and they will lay her to rest in Turkey southeastern province of Diyarbakır.

Giving information about the incident, Yiğit has said, "We know that she was attacked with a sharp object but we have not yet had information about the exact cause of death or the autopsy report."

Referring to the news reported in the press, Yiğit has indicated that two suspects are currently detained. While one of them is detained as the murder suspect, the other one is for aiding the murder.

"We are trying to follow the legal process by getting in contact with the family," Şimşek Yiğit has added further.

Three attacks in a month in İzmir

In November 2021, three transphobic hate attacks were carried out in Turkey's Aegean province of İzmir.

On November 20, a man attacked two trans women an hour apart. The women were severely injured. A week later, on November 27, trans woman Berrak was killed in the attack in front of the Basmane train station.

According to Yiğit, the targeting remarks of the government against the LGBTI+s as well as the impunity for crimes against women and hate crimes have been a factor increasing such attacks in recent periods.

"Trans women are both pointed as targets and deprived of several support mechanisms and their rights," Yiğit has underlined, raising concerns that "long years of impunity for physical violence and torture open a space for perpetrators and pat the perpetrators on the back."

Recalling the murder of Hande Buse Şeker, Yiğit has noted that Şeker was a sex worker and trans woman killed by a police officer and the trial over her killing has not yet been finalized. As for the recent attacks in İzmir, the investigation process has just started, according to Yiğit, who has underlined that "the process is moving forward highly slowly."

Şişmek has said, "While a swift investigation should be conducted into hate crimes, we know that the processes are prolonged and adequate sentences are not given in the end. Impunity is so common that the vast majority of trans women avoid applying to law enforcement. Several crimes that we did not know may not have been registered." (EMK/SD)