Turkish woman ‘waits to be killed by husband’ despite security measures

Fırat Alkaç – ISTANBUL

A Turkish woman, who was stabbed 17 times because she wanted to divorce her husband, has said she is waiting to be murdered despite security measures.

Sena Ş., 22, told Hürriyet on Aug. 26 she was still receiving death threats from Osman Ş., 28, with whom she was married at an early age after running away from her family home in Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa neighborhood. When she wanted to divorce due to the abuse she faced, she was stabbed by her husband 17 times in April. Since then, a court ruled to mobilize police to protect Sena, who was hospitalized with heavy injuries. Her husband was set free pending trial. 

“I’m staying in my mother’s house with my two children. I can’t even go out without calling police, because Osman says he is going to kill me,” Sena said.

She added that she is receiving physical therapy after staying in intensive care due to the torn muscles in her arm. She said she cannot move her wrists. 

“According to the court’s verdict, he is not allowed to come within 200 meters of me. But he always comes to the door, shouting death threats. He came a couple of days ago. He kicked the door. I called the police. They came, but they were not able to do anything. He left and then called me to say he is going to kill me. He is an alcoholic and a drug addict. He could do anything. My father also received verdict for protection, because he was afraid. He has started threatening my entire family. He stalks me like Azrael [the angel of death]. I won’t be relieved until he is arrested or else he is going to murder me. I am waiting for the day I’ll be murdered,” she added.

Sena also said she is afraid to go out even for her children’s needs. She expressed her concerns about the lives of her children, Zeynep and Yasin. “He took them away and hid them from me before. Then, the court gave me custody. He is allowed to see them once every two weeks. When he comes to take the children, he shouts at me in front of them. I am afraid to give my children to him. He might do something to them. I’ve been married to him for four years. I was the subject of abuse every single day. I demanded help from the state,” she said.