Transgender people make up less than 0.5 percent of the U.S. population, but are four times more likely than the general public to be attacked because of how they identify.
Though hate crimes decreased in 2014, attacks motivated by the victim’s gender identity tripled.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, 61 percent of respondents say they have been assaulted, while 64 percent say they have been sexually assaulted. That number is believed to be higher because of unreported cases.
“There’s truly an epidemic of violence targeted against the transgender community and a great deal needs to be done to address that,” said Jo Michael, Legislative Manager for Equality California.
“Particularly transgender women of color experience the worst version of that everywhere in the United States, and in the world. So, there’s a great deal more work to be done on that.”
Michael is a transgender man and says even though California and Sacramento are considered progressive, there are still instances of violence.
“There are people in the community here in Sacramento and more broadly in kind of the outlining areas who I know who have experienced people coming up to them and saying something aggressive or maybe even trying to engage with them physically harassing them and really making their, what would otherwise be their day-to-day life, very difficult to live,” said Michael.
Transgenders do not only face the dangers of assault, but also self-harm. A staggering 41 percent of respondents said they have tried committing suicide.
Self-harm can stem from being harassed to transgenders having their own parents disowning them.
“The youth today are no longer afraid that they won’t be able to marry the person that they love, they’re afraid that if they come out to their family, they’re going to be homeless that night,” said Donald Bentz, Executive Director of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.
The center helps kids on a regular basis who have no other means of support.
Compared to the rest of the United States, California is leading the way in assuring the LGBT community is treated as equal as everyone else, but when it comes to transgenders, they still have a long way to go.
Read more: http://kfbk.iheart.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/special-report-epidemic-of-violence-against-14806478/#ixzz4BU3lyzFs
