LGBTQ New Yorkers facing increased violence

June 6, 2012
Hudson Valley Press

New York, NY - The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) recently released its report Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2011. NCAVP collected data concerning hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and HIV-affected people (LGBTQH), from 16 anti-violence programs in 16 states across the country including from the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP), which coordinates NCAVP.

The national report shows an overall decrease in hate violence incidents but an increase in the number of murders. Nationwide, 30 murders of LGBTQH people were documented, the highest yearly total ever recorded. Among those reporting, transgender women, people of color, and youth and young adults faced the most severe hate violence.

Despite the decrease in reports nationally, from 2010 to 2011, reports of hate violence in New York increased by 13%. This is similar to the 11% increase in reports in New York from 2009 to 20010 and reflects a three-year trend in local increases. “In 2011, New York once again saw a troubling increase in hate violence against LGBTQH New Yorkers,” said Sharon Stapel, AVP’s Executive Director. “This escalation cannot be ignored - we all have to work together to end this violence.”

AVP provided services to 451 total survivors of hate violence in 2011.  Similar to the national increase in violence faced by transgender people and people of color, the number of reports from survivors who identified as transgender increased by 69% and the number of reports from survivors who identified as people of color increased by 25% in New York City. AVP’s outreach to these communities exposes violence that has been going on and allows us to support people and document this issue.

“Locally and nationally, trends in violence over the last several years are telling us that transgender people and people of color are disproportionately affected by hate violence,” said Ejeris Dixon, AVP’s Deputy Director in charge of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy. “With dedicated grants from funders such as the Paul Rapoport Foundation and The New York Women’s Foundation, AVP has been able to include more focused programming to those community members in all five boroughs who are most vulnerable to violence.”

In 2011, 62% of survivors experienced indifferent or hostile attitudes from the police. Similar to last year’s report, communities disproportionately impacted by indifferent or hostile police attitudes, police misconduct, and police violence in New York City were transgender people, people of color, and transgender people of color. This increase in reporting reflects AVP’s expansion of outreach to all five boroughs as part of our focus on reforming NYPD policies.

“This year AVP has been involved in a very public way in addressing the larger issues of the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policies by participating in Communities United for Police Reform, collaborating on the creation of the NYPD’s first ever transgender policing policy, and supporting survivors of police violence affecting our community members at Occupy Wall Street,” said Joyce Li, AVP’s Local Organizer. “And this is just the beginning of our work on this issue, in the months ahead we will be working in coalition to help pass the Community Safety Act which will prohibit profiling based on gender identity and sexual orientation and reduce stops of LGBTQH people, thereby promoting the safety of all New Yorkers.”