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"I have been living in this house since 2003. Our own house, I inherited it from my mother. They lock the block's door, I can't open it. They say, 'The transvestite came.' They hit me in the back of my head. They battered me many times."
What trans woman Ajda tells shows what kind of difficulties trans women are forced to face. Working in the textile industry, Ajda has been subjected to "speech and acts of hate" by her neighbors at the block of apartments she has been living in since 2003. In the end, a court, in a decision in favor of her neighbors, imposed a protection order against her. So, Ajda can't walk into her home.
Family violence
Ajda spoke to bianet on the occasion of the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.
"I had been subjected to psychological violence from my family for years. I left the house where I lived with my family because of my father's pressure and hate speech. I had to live hideously, but I didn't give up on my identity. I won't. I've been fighting on my own throughout my life.
"In 2003, I moved into my own house. I thought I'd live in this house very comfortably. However, since two years after moving there, namely 2005, I have been subjected to violence from my neighbors in the block. They say I'm a sex worker, they commit hate speech. They have had violent behavior from time to time.
"Co-Chairperson of the Human Rights Association, Eren Keskin, filed a criminal complaint for the offense of discrimination at the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. This has not been finalized yet, but upon application by two woman neighbors, a protection order was immediately issued. Think of it, my right to break into my house is taken away. I can't go into my own house anymore."
"Judiciary does not see the problems of trans women"
We spoke with Lawyer Eren Keskin about the case:
"Ajda can't enter her house because they live in the same apartment. We objected to the protection order. Trans women are experiencing more intense pressure because they are visible. They're bringing things to a point where a woman can't walk into her house. We can't accept that. Unfortunately, the judiciary does not see the problems of trans women.
"For this reason, they have filed criminal complaints against one another for years but no result has been reached. We will continue our applications to the judiciary to solve these problems of Ajda." (EMK/VK)
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