16/07/2024 | Writer: Oğulcan Özgenç
E.Ş., who was attacked with nearly 50 stab wounds at her home in Alsancak on July 13, is in critical condition. Özen Sarıoğlan from the 20 November Trans+ Initiative spoke to KaosGL.org about the incident and E.Ş.'s current condition. Sarıoğlan reported that both the ambulance and police arrived late at the scene.
E.Ş., a trans woman, was attacked by a man in her home in Alsancak on July 13. The 20 November Trans+ Initiative issued a statement titled “Knife Attack on a Queer in Alsancak” regarding the incident, in which E.Ş. suffered nearly 50 stab wounds, 27 of which were deemed fatal:
“On 13.07.2024 at around 05:30 in the morning, our queer friend E.Ş., who resides in Alsancak, was stabbed by an attacker. It was determined that she received nearly 50 stab wounds on her body, 27 of which were fatal blows. In the morning, trans women in Alsancak stated that they heard E.Ş.’s cries for help and quickly called the police to her house. Our friends who ran to E.Ş. encountered her bloodied body and rushed her to the hospital. The suspect was caught at the scene thanks to the trans women who heard the cries for help and ran. She is currently being treated in the intensive care unit in a very critical condition.
We are experiencing the pain of losing our friends on the same street. We are facing a similar hate crime against Ecem Seçkin, Hande Buse Şeker, and many of our friends. We know how these people are encouraged and backed. The lack of deterrent policies of the system and the non-application of the law cause the death of our friends. We will continue to resist with the strength we get from our friends.”
“Ambulance and the police arrived late at the scene”
Özen Sarıoğlan from the 20 November Trans+ Initiative spoke to KaosGL.org about the attack on E.Ş. and the subsequent response from emergency services. Sarıoğlan detailed the events of the morning incident, which occurred around 05:30 AM, and the current condition of E.Ş.
Sarıoğlan explained that the cries for help were heard by trans women living in the neighborhood:
“When the girls went to the shouting, the man who stabbed our friend was still inside the house. When the man saw that the girls were coming and they were crowded, the shouting stopped. The ambulance and the police arrived late. Having tried to reconcile with the attacker for a while, the police entered the house and caught the attacker. The attacker was actually caught thanks to the girls. According to what we learnt, the attacker used a classic expression like ‘I thought she was a woman’ in his first statement.”
Sarıoğlan also described the critical condition of E.Ş.: “Our friend has serious cuts in her intestines and certain parts of her body. At the moment, doctors can only intervene in her lungs and intestines. They are currently waiting for her to overcome the existing process to intervene in other parts of her body.”
Tags: human rights
