tgeu Monitoring transphobic incidents Violent incidents against the transgender community I n this section, we highlight some as- coming out, as the causes for the domes- within this category. Many documented There is little appropriate reporting about pects of violence that particularly affect tic violence would become public”, with cases, which reveal the high rate of vio- violence against transgender persons, as transgender people, drawing from TGEU all the adverse consequences that this sit- lence against transgender persons, have has been described by researchers in the data and other evidence from civil society. uation would entail. Moreover, the ongo- been reported by human-rights activists. Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide ing strain on an often isolated individual Perpetrators of violence against trans- report, published by TGEU.8“Apart from Domestic violence without access to transgender peers or gender persons are clients (in the case the lack of information and the inappro- Transgender people live in a societal cli- suitable support often results in serious of trans sex workers), gangs, police and priate and obfuscating reporting by the mate that marginalises gender variance mental-health issues for trans individuals other individuals. The statistics of TGEU’s media, hesitant prosecution of the perpe- and allows crime and violence against and their communities. Trans Murder Monitoring Project show trators and especially lack of evaluation an alarming trend, illustrated, for exam- of the perpetrators’ motives by the police ple, by the increasing number of reported and courts often pose a challenge for the transgender persons to flourish. For start in the family of origin. The contin- Violence and harassment in public murders in Turkey in recent years (2008: TMM, which relies on media reports and uously felt threat of violence negatively Many trans people continue to find them- 4, 2009: 7, 2010: 6, 2011: 6, 2012: 7). In court decisions”. Because many acts of vi- affects transgender individuals’ ability selves exposed to verbal and physical as- Europe, further reports were received of olence and murders against trans persons to pursue their personal development sault in public. In its Transgender EuroStudy a total of 89 murdered trans people in five go unnoticed, they remain unpunished. and fulfillment. In one case, the father of (2008), TGEU found that 79 per cent of years. The research into these cases sug- a young trans woman chained her and respondents had experienced some form gests that trans murder victims in Europe locked her up in a cellar for eight months, of harassment in public, ranging from are frequently migrants or sex workers, beating her daily with a rubber pipe and transphobic comments to physical or sex- and often both. suppressing any social contact. In the ual abuse. This number was confirmed by end, he forced her into a marriage. “When the Transphobic Hate Crime in the European Un- I had to go to the toilet, he put a rope ion report published by Press for Change 3) Forced Out: LGBT People in Azerbaijan – Report ILGA-Europe/COC. Fact-finding mission – 2008, p. 23. around my neck and then controlled me in 2009.6 The OSCE (Organization for from a distance. He did the same when I Security and Co-operation in Europe) took a shower.... After eight months, he confirmed that homophobic hate crimes 4) Identifying the Difficulties Experienced by Muslim Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Women in Accessing Social and Legal Services – Initial Findings – January 2003 – The Safra Project – Paragraph 5.4. forced me to marry someone, not legal- and incidents often show a high degree of 5) The entire study can be read at http://tgeu.org/Eurostudy ly, but more as a religious ceremony.... cruelty and brutality. They often involve My patience ran out and I attempted to severe beatings, torture, mutilation, cas- commit suicide”. It is often not possible tration, even sexual assault. They are also to turn to others for help, as “disclosing very likely to result in death. Transgender domestic violence would often result in people seem to be even more vulnerable many, rejection, bullying and violence 3 6 4 5 7 6) The entire study can be read at http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/r/6/transphobic_hate_crime_in_eu.pdf 7) More results from the project are available at http://www.transrespect-transphobia.org/en_US/tvt-project/tmm-results.htm 8) The publication is available at http://www.transrespect-transphobia.org/uploads/downloads/Publications/ TvT_research-report.pdf 7