Photo: Facebook
He proposed after being released from jail.
By Alice Kelly — Written on Apr 09, 2022
Concerns are being raised for a Turkish woman who married her abusive ex-boyfriend after becoming the victim of his vicious acid attack.
20-year-old Berfin Ozek was left permanently disfigured with impaired vision after Casim Ozan Celtik, 23, in December, threw acid in her face during an argument.
Two years after the acid attack, the woman married her attacker.
The couple, who had dated prior, were reportedly separated at the time of the incident with Celtik allegedly shouting “If I can’t have you no one can” as he threw the chemical at Ozek.
Celtik was arrested after Ozek filed a police complaint but he then began love-bombing her with messages, begging for her forgiveness.
Ozek withdrew her complaint writing at the time, “We have written many letters to each other. I have given myself to him. I love him very much — [and] he loves me very much.”
After receiving backlash on social media, Ozek reinstated the complaint and Celtik was sentenced.
While only in the early stages of his 13.5-year sentence, a change in the law brought on by COVID-19 meant Celtik was released on probation.
People who became aware of the case on social media were outraged that Celtik could walk free while Ozek was left in constant physical and emotional pain and with only 30% vision in one eye.
This shock was only compounded when Celtik proposed to Ozek immediately after his release. Even more upsetting was the fact that she said yes.
The couple wed in December 2021.
Ozek’s family is heartbroken and didn’t attend the ceremony.
Her distraught father told local media: “She married without our knowing. I’ve fought for her for years, and now all of this has been in vain.”
While many online have been critical of Ozek, labeling her “stupid” for forgiving her abuser and taking him back, it is important to understand the psychological impacts of abuse and the control abusers hold over their partners.
Ozek has been demeaned, abused, and completely disfigured by Celtik and has had her self-worth stripped from her.
Equally, as she already knows, leaving an abusive partner can be extremely dangerous.
Instead, it is important to create a safe empathetic environment so Ozek can feel encouraged to escape Celtik in the future.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse or violence, there are resources to get help.
There are ways to go about asking for help as safely as possible.
For more information, resources, legal advice, and relevant links visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
For anyone struggling with domestic abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). If you’re unable to speak safely, text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474 or log onto thehotline.org.
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.