Attacked in İstanbul, trans woman Asya hospitalized

* Image: csgorselarsiv.org/Dilara Açıkgöz

WARNING: This news report is about an incident violence. While it does not share details, it recounts what happened. The content might trigger memories or have a traumatic effect on persons who witnessed or were subjected to violence, discrimination and hate before. In this case, you can contact a mental health specialist, an LGBTI+ organization in your city or write May 17 Association for support.

Click to read the article in Turkish

According to a news report published by Demirören News Agency (DHA), "a person wearing a surgical mask and a hoodie" attacked a trans woman, also a Syrian refugee, with hydrochloric acid in İstanbul on March 9.

Using the assigned name of the woman attacked in Beyoğlu, the news report indicated that the woman was taken to the Okmeydanı Prof. Cemil Taşçıoğlu City Hospital and the assaulter had not yet been caught.

As reported by the Ankara-based LGBTI+ association KaosGL, the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) LGBTI+ Assembly activists went to the street where the incident happened in Beyoğlu, İstanbul and talked to other trans women and shopkeepers there yesterday (March 11).

According to the HDK LGBTI+ Assembly activists, the man named Emre B. attacked 18-year-old Syrian refugee trans woman with hydrochloric acid when she was about to leave her house in the district.

She has vision loss

Asyas was first taken to the Okmeydanı Prof. Cemil Taşçıoğlu City Hospital in İstanbul. Afterwards, she has been referred to the Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital for burn injury treatment.

Asya has total vision loss in one eye and a partial vision loss in the other. She also has burns in her body. (EMK/SD)