A 24-year-old trans woman was stabbed to death in her own home in Turkey last night (9 July).

Dora Oezer, she was found dead by her housemate in the western seaside province of Kusadasi.

Police are now searching for her murderer, her death the latest in a long line of transphobic violence.

Media in Turkey have claimed Oezer was a prostitute, saying CCTV cameras had caught ‘many people coming in and out’ of the house.

While not confirmed, it would not be surprising. LGBT activists have often said trans women are forced into prostitution as they are unable to find work elsewhere.

Also as sex work is not illegal in Turkey but they are not allowed to work in regulated brothels, trans woman are often left in vulnerable and dangerous positions.

Richard Köhler, from Transgender Europe, said: ‘Unfortunately, Dora is not a rare case, there is a systematic murdering of trans people in Turkey, some even call it a trans massacre.’

Kaos GL and Pink Life LGBTT Associations in Ankara declared a statement against the government’s reluctance to tackle transphobic violence at large.

They note many murderers of trans people are not found or judged with minimal punishments, often saying they were provoked in a ‘trans panic defense’.

Protests condemning transphobia and hate crimes will take place in İstanbul, İzmir and Eskişehir on Friday (12 July) at 6 pm.

Turkey has the second highest level of hate crime against trans people in the world.