A TV reporter has died after being shot by her boyfriend who then shot himself in the head.
Semra Demirelli, 25, was left fighting for her life for 49 days in hospital following the horrific attack in Turkey.
Semara died after an agonising 49 day battle for her life[/caption]
Semra was shot by her “jealous” boyfriend[/caption]
Semra was hit in the back of her neck and was rushed to hospital[/caption]
The shooting took place on 263rd Street in the Abdullahpasa Neighbourhood in the district of Karacabey, Bursa Province at around midday on November 15 2024.
Semra’s boyfriend, 26-year-old Vahap Selim Cetin, reportedly went to her house and after an argument about “jealousy”.
The dispute unfolded at Semra’s house whilst her mother was also present.
It is unknown if her mother was injured in the attack, or if Semra was shot in front of her.
The man allegedly shot the young woman, who worked for a local TV station, with a gun he had brought.
She was rushed to hospital with a gunshot wound in the back of her neck.
Vahap fled the scene before fatally shooting himself.
He was still alive when he was rushed to Fethi Sekin City Hospital but died of the self-inflicted gunshot wound a short while later.
Semra was being treated at the Firat University Hospital during her awful seven week battle.
Earlier this year, Vahap’s brother was involved in a strikingly similar incident.
In July 2024, Halil Çetin fatally shot his girlfriend, Rukiye Yıldırım, before taking his own life with the same gun.
Data from the We Will Stop Femicide Platform shows that at least 193 women were murdered by men and another 149 women died under suspicious circumstances in the first half of 2024.
The platform also records that 48 women were murdered by men in September, setting a record as the highest monthly toll ever reported.
Many critics say the main reason for the current situation is the policies of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, which often protect violent and abusive men.
In March 2021, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used a presidential decree to withdraw Turkey from an international treaty requiring prosecution of domestic abusers.
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
The legislation also included marital rape and female genital mutilation.
Erdoğan’s allies have been calling for further rollbacks, however.
They are urging the repeal of a Turkish law that stipulates protection mechanisms for women who either have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence.
Semra’s body had been taken to the morgue for an autopsy, reports note.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
