Turkey: Teenage girl, pregnant from rape, killed by fiancé in honor killing
- Mahamunimodi Team
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
In a harrowing and tragic incident, 18-year-old Oya Budak, a teenager from Istanbul, endured a brutal sexual assault that resulted in her becoming pregnant by her attacker. The trauma of the rape was compounded by an unimaginable betrayal when her fiancé, upon learning that she was five-and-a-half months pregnant with the rapist’s child, ended their engagement and later committed a heinous act described as an "honour killing." Driven by a twisted sense of shame and societal pressure, the 19-year-old fiancé allegedly lured Budak to a meeting under the pretense of reconciliation. Instead, he callously shot her in the chest and ear, ending her life and that of her unborn child.
Despite being rushed to a hospital, Budak succumbed to her injuries, and her baby could not be saved. According to Turkish media reports, the rape had occurred just weeks before Budak’s engagement, and she had kept the assault and her subsequent pregnancy a closely guarded secret, unknown even to her own family. The fiancé’s family, upon learning of the pregnancy, reportedly pressured him to dissolve the engagement, further isolating Budak in her time of vulnerability.
Law enforcement swiftly arrested the suspect, who has since confessed to the murder. Meanwhile, the man responsible for Budak’s rape has been convicted of her assault, along with other sexual offenses, and is currently incarcerated. This devastating sequence of events underscores the profound personal toll of violence against women and the societal pressures that can exacerbate such tragedies.
Budak’s murder marks the 209th femicide in Turkey in 2025, adding to an alarming and persistent crisis. In 2024 alone, at least 420 women were killed by partners, ex-partners, or other men within their immediate social circles, according to women’s rights groups. These organizations have repeatedly criticized Turkey’s fundamentalist government for its perceived inaction and failure to address the deeply entrenched issue of femicide, which continues to claim lives and devastate communities. Budak’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the urgent need for systemic change to protect women from violence and ensure justice for victims.
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