Trans women's homes targeted in İzmir stone-throwing attack

Five days ago, a trans woman living on Bornova Street in the Konak district of İzmir was attacked while returning home from the hairdresser. The group also robbed the woman's phone and wallet after the attack.

The group later threw stones at the homes of trans women living on the street. The women took refuge in their homes by closing their windows and doors.

We talked about the attack with Helin, who lives on the street, and Ani from the November 20 Trans+ Initiative.

Helin, who said they are verbally and physically harassed mostly by men, pointed out that these attacks have increased recently due to the changing face of the street.

"I can't even take my dog out"

Helin, who said she has not been able to take her dog outside for days due to fear of attacks, continued, "Bornova Street is a very large area, and the guards and police responsible for ensuring the safety of the street are stationed at certain points. These mainly cover the face of the street facing Alsancak Avenue, and no one cares about the back streets.

"Normally, the guards should have been on the street at the time of the attack. But how do you find them? To ensure our safety, guards should be present on every street, because we are constantly experiencing these problems. Unfortunately, the houses of transgender women who work collectively are always stoned."

"The rhythm of the street has changed"

Ani from the November 20 Trans+ Initiative also highlighted the changing face and profile of the street in a similar way to Helin, saying, "This attack is not new. Trans women have been subjected to similar attacks on this street since the '80s and '90s, and they continue to be. The current problem is the change in the rhythm of the street.

"Because the police themselves do not want to carry out such activities – or somehow hesitate to do so – they either incite others or, figuratively speaking, give way to the attackers. Among those are children. In Bornova Street, there has lately been an increase in those who newly reached lawful age. We saw these young people in the lynching attempt we experienced recently on the street. Our friends who work on the street experienced something terrible.

"The attackers subjected our friend to intense violence, then robbed her phone and wallet. This wasn't enough; they also threw stones at the homes of our friends living on the street. Where was the police while all this was happening? That's what we really need to ask. Açelya leaves the hairdresser she always goes to, which is already a hairdresser where transgender women go. While she was walking peacefully, they made her a target.”

Demands of the women

"This terrible lynching attempt was hardly reported anywhere except for a few platforms. But that day, there was a hunt for trans women. We are talking about a community that is already being criminalized, a disadvantaged group. Therefore, everyone should stand against such attacks. 

“Unfortunately, if transgender women living on the street did not know how to survive and did not immediately retreat to their homes to protect themselves, I don't even want to imagine the extent of what would happen there. The girls never left the house while the attackers were throwing stones.

"Our demand from the police and everyone in charge is: In order to prevent similar attacks and create a deterrent effect on potential perpetrators, law enforcement officers should be present not at a single point, but everywhere on the street. Unlike Bayram Street, Bornova Street is a huge street. There are many transgender women living here, and most of them own property.

"When the attack took place, someone influential among the transgender women wrote like this: We no longer want to be beaten, and we will prevent it. Yes, the street no longer wants to be beaten, and there is an urgent demand for visibility and a transgender association on the street." (TY/VK)