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As night falls over North Turkey it brings much more than darkness to Joana and Mado. It brings fear that they may become victims of verbal, physical or sexual assault.

This young couple are continually being punished for being transgender. Joana met Mado in 2015 in Qatar they were being persecuted and as they feared for their lives they fled their own country. Both leaving their friends and family for a safer place to live, free from discrimination.

In 2016 they took asylum in North Turkey and now the couple are suffering more discrimination and abuse than in their own country.

On arriving to Turkey the couple were given a house and they believed they were finally safe. The happiness was short lived the owner of the house told the couple they had to move out due to their sexuality and all their belongings were also stolen.

Mado then got a job as the couple had no money, he worked twelve hours a day for one week. The owner of the restaurant then tried to rape Mado, the attack was violent Mado had to fight him off with a knife to protect himself. The couple informed the police however it was not investigated.

Mado and Joana are moved to a thrid property. The owner attacks the couple due to being transgender. The owner entered the house with a gun and raped Mado. The couple went to the UN refugee agency who organised their asylum and asked to be moved. Unfortunately, the agency did not organise this and the abuse continued.

Shortly after this an Arabic gentleman who was also a refugee went to the couples house. He threatened the couple and told others that the couple are gay and transgender which resulted in the couple not being able to leave the house.

When Mado did leave the house a car with five people in stopped and attacked him. They told Mado to go away and never come back.

After this an application to the immigration office was submitted to move to a different city however this got rejected.

They were moved to a property which they were safe in for a month however they came under attack again. Whilst Mado was out on the balcony someone began throwing rocks, Mado’s eye was injured. They once again made a complaint to the agency and the police and nothing was done.

The couple were yet again moved to another property and enjoyed a few short weeks of safety. A man broke into their home and refused to leave. The man also damaged their property and broke their telephone preventing them calling for help. They finally called the police who advised that nothing could be done as the man was intoxicated.

The couple were moved again and again had a few weeks in which they felt safe. Mado was again attacked in which sexual violence took place.

Despite these countless attacks they still remain in North Turkey being punished for doing nothing but being themselves. Please share Joana and Mado’s story in the hope that one day they will find peace.

False names used to protect identity