Nat'l report out on hate violence against LGBTQ, HIV-affected communities - 2642 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News

NATIONAL—Today the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs ( NCAVP ) released its annual report documenting the level of hate violence experienced by LGBTQ and HIV-affected persons in the United States in 2014. The report, Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2014, is the most comprehensive report on this violence in the United States. It draws on data collected from 16 anti-violence programs in 14 states across the country. States reporting were: Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia.

General Findings

NCAVP's 2014 hate violence report documents 1,359 incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence in 2014, a significant 32% decrease from the 2,001 total incidents reported in 2013. NCAVP attributes this decline to a sharp decline in reports of violence to the two major reporting NCAVP members, the New York City Anti-Violence Project and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. In New York City, a lack of high profile incidents — and, therefore, decreased public awareness about violence and reporting - may have contributed to the decline, in contrast to 2013, where there was a spike in hate violence incidents, reporting, and outreach. For the LA LGBT Center a decline in outreach staffing in 2014 contributed to this decrease in reports of incidents of violence. "This decrease should not be an indication that anti-LGBTQ hate violence is declining," said Chai Jindasurat, Co-Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. "In fact it should be call to action for policymakers, funders, and service providers to increase funding, legislation, public awareness and outreach that encourages reporting of hate violence incidents and promotes safety for LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities."

While overall reports were down in 2014, reports of severe and deadly violence remain high. The number of homicides increased 11% in 2014 and the severity of violence experienced by LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities remained relatively consistent with last year. Additionally, the 2014 report continues to document multi-year trends revealing that anti-LGBTQ and HIV-affected hate violence disproportionately impacts transgender women, LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities of color, LGBTQ and HIV-affected youth and young adults, transgender people, transgender people of color, and gay men. Consistent with previous years, gay men represented the largest group of hate violence survivors and victims in 2014, and for the first time there is data showing disproportionate impact on low-income LGBTQ people, showing that hate violence remains a pervasive and persistent issue for all LGBTQ and HIV-affected people.

Anti-LGBTQ Homicides in 2014

2014 was a deadly year for LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities with 20 homicides documented, an 11% increase from 18 homicides in 2013, and among the highest number of homicides in a year since NCAVP started tracking this information. Additionally, for a fifth year in a row, NCAVP's findings reflect a disproportionate impact of deadly violence for people of color, transgender women, transgender people of color, and gay men:

80% of all homicide victims in 2014 were people of color, yet LGBTQ and HIV-affected people of color only represented 41% of total survivors and victims. The majority of homicide victims ( 60% ) were Black and African American, 15% of homicide victims were Latin@, and 15% of homicide victims were White.

Over half ( 55% ) of homicide victims were transgender women, and half ( 50% ) of homicide victims were transgender women of color, yet transgender survivors and victims only represent 19% of total reports to NCAVP.

35% of homicide victims were gay or bisexual men.

"In 2014 in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas alone, we lost three transgender women to deadly hate violence," said Christopher Argyros from LA LGBT Center. "Aniya Parker, Zoraida Reyes, and Deshawnda Sanchez are representative of the fatal violence that transgender women of color continue to experience in our country and around the world. Their lives deserve national action to end hate violence."

Most Impacted Communities: Severity of Violence

The 2014 report found, transgender women, transgender people, people of color, and gay men were at risk for the most severe violence. "This year's report again shows that people at risk for the most severe hate violence are at the intersection of multiple forms of oppression and discrimination including homophobia, transphobia, racism and socioeconomic discrimination," said Essex Lordes from Community United Against Violence. "Anti-LGBTQ hate violence can no longer be viewed in isolation from other forms of violence that our community members are experiencing based on their identities." The report found:

LGBTQ and HIV-affected people of color survivors were 2.2 times more likely to experience physical violence, 1.4 times more likely to be injured, and 1.7 times more likely to require medical attention, when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected Black survivors were 2 times more likely to experience physical violence, when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected Latin@ survivors were 1.8 times more likely to experience physical violence and 1.5 times more likely to be injured as a result of hate violence, when compared with other survivors

Transgender women survivors were 1.6 times more likely to experience physical violence and 1.6 times more likely to experience sexual violence, when compared with other survivors

Transgender people of color survivors were 1.6 times more likely to experience any physical violence and 1.9 times more likely to require medical attention, when compared with other survivors

Gay men survivors were 1.8 times more likely to experience injury and 1.5 times more likely to require medical attention, when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected low income survivors were 2.1 times more likely to experience hate violence at the workplace, when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ young people were 2.5 times more likely to be injured due to hate violence, and 2.1 times more likely to require medical attention, when compared to other survivors

Bisexual survivors were 1.3 times more likely to experience threats and intimidation when compared to other survivors.

LGBTQ Survivors and Police Interaction

In 2014, 54% of survivors reported their incidents to the police, a significant increase from 45% in 2013. Of those reporting, 27% of survivors reported experiencing hostile attitudes from the police, a decrease from 32% in 2013. However, as discussed below, only 6% of incidents were classified as bias crimes. Of the survivors who interacted with the police and experienced hostility and police misconduct, 57% reported being unjustly arrested by the police. Excessive force accounted for 33% of police misconduct, which is a significant increase from 2013 ( 28% ). "Reports to police increased in 2014, but that is not surprising in a year where homicides and severity of violence are high, situations in which police are intervening or being called to intervene," said Lynne Sprague from Survivors Organizing for Liberation ( formerly the Colorado Anti-Violence Program ). "With this report, we are calling for an end to the profiling, police violence, and misconduct that happens when LGBTQ and HIV-affected survivors do report." The report found:

LGBTQ and HIV-affected people of color survivors were 2.4 times more likely to experience police violence when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected Black survivors were 1.8 times more likely to experience police violence when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected Latin@ survivors were 1.7 times more likely to experience police violence when compared with other survivors

Transgender survivors were 6.1 times more likely to experience physical violence from police when compared with other survivors

Transgender people of color were 6.2 times more likely to experience police violence when compared with other survivors

Transgender women survivors were 6.1 times more likely to experience physical violence from police when compared with other survivors

LGBTQ and HIV-affected young adults ( ages 19-29 ) were 2.2 times more likely to experience police violence when compared with other survivors.

LGBTQ Survivors and Police Reporting and Classification

In 2014, only 6% of hate violence incidents reported to the police were classified as bias crimes, a substantial decrease from 2013 ( 24% ). The report also shows that police were less likely to classify hate violence as bias motivated for community members disproportionately impacted by this violence. "This year we are seeing a disturbing drop in hate violence classification by the police," said Justin Shaw from the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project. "Police seem to be taking some of our most impacted communities less seriously and are less likely to classify their experiences as hate violence, especially "LGBQ and HIV-affected people of color, and transgender people of color." The report found:

Police were .71 times less likely to classify incidents as hate violence for LGBTQ and HIV-affected people of color survivors

Transgender people of color survivors were .59 times less likely to receive bias classification by police.

Additionally the report shows a reluctance to report to the police by the same individuals who are most impacted by severe and deadly violence. For example, the report found that overall, transgender survivors were .67 times less likely to report to police.

Recommendations

NCAVP's report findings are a wakeup call; even in the midst of legal protections and progress on state and national levels, LGBTQ and HIV-affected people are facing extremely high levels of severe and deadly violence. "This year's report makes it clear that more must be done to stop anti-LGBTQ and HIV-affected hate violence, and NCAVP's policy recommendations point to clear solutions," said Osman Ahmed, NCAVP Research and Education Coordinator at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. "We call on policymakers, funders, advocates, and community members to be a part of the solutions that NCAVP recommends in the 2014 report." The report recommendations, expanded upon within the report, include:

End the homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic culture that fuels violence

End root causes and social determinants of anti-LGBTQ and HIV-affected violence through ending poverty and anti-LGBTQ and HIV-affected discrimination

Increase access for LGBTQ and HIV-affected anti-violence support and prevention

End police profiling and police violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected people

Enact comprehensive, humane, and LGBTQ-inclusive immigration reform

Collect data and expand research on LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities overall, particularly data and research on LGBTQ and HIV-affected people's experiences of violence.

NCAVP works to prevent, respond to, and end all forms of violence against and within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer ( LGBTQ ) and HIV-affected communities. NCAVP is a national coalition of 47 local member programs and affiliate organizations in 24 states, Canada, and Washington DC, who create systemic and social change. We strive to increase power, safety, and resources through data analysis, policy advocacy, education, and technical assistance.

NCAVP is coordinated by the New York City Anti-Violence Project

ARIZONA

Wingspan Anti-Violence Programs ( Tucson, AZ )

Contact: Patrick Farr, 520-624-1779 x119

pfarr@wingspan.org .

CALIFORNIA

Community United Against Violence ( San Francisco, CA )

Contact: Essex Lordes, ( 415 ) 777-5500

essex@cuav.org .

L.A. LGBT Center ( Los Angeles, CA )

Contact: Christopher Argyros, ( 323 ) 860-3717

cargyros@lalgbtcenter.org .