Teenage Rape Survivor Fatally Shot by Fiancé in Suspected ‘Honor’ Killing in Turkey

An 18-year-old Turkish teenager, Oya Budak, who was five-and-a-half months pregnant after being r@ped, has been fatally shot by her 19-year-old fiancé in what authorities are investigating as an “honor” killing.

According to local media reports, Budak was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest but died shortly after, along with her unborn baby. Her fiancé allegedly ended their engagement after discovering the pregnancy, which resulted from a r@pe that occurred weeks before their planned marriage.

Turkish news agencies say the suspect, arrested in Istanbul, confessed to the killing during police interrogation.

Budak’s grandfather, Orhan Budak, told reporters that her fiancé had taken her to the hospital when she complained of pain, only to learn of the pregnancy. The fiancé’s family allegedly pressured him to call off the wedding once they learned the baby was not his.

The teenager’s own family was reportedly unaware that she had been s@xually assaulted and pregnant.

This incident marks the 209th femicide recorded in Turkey in 2025, according to a women’s rights organization.

Rights groups have repeatedly accused Turkish authorities of failing to adequately protect women from gender-based violence, as cases of femicide and anti-LGBTQ+ violence continue to rise across the country.

The tragedy has sparked renewed calls for stronger legal protections and justice for survivors of s@xual violence and domestic abuse.