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Lack of Understanding at the Core of Crimes Against Transgender People |
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“The mere fact that transpeople are living out their lives and their identities, makes them by default vulnerable to gender-based violence, discrimination and secondary victimisation.” This was the message delivered by Liesl Theron, director of Gender DynamiX at the 4th Conference on Sexual Health and Rights in Ethiopia recently.
In her paper Liesl said there was a huge rate of under-reporting when it comes to going to the police stations to report any kind of crime against them or even if they were a witness to a crime.
“I think it is quite important that when we speak in conferences like this one about other main-stream issues we also consider the needs and information that is needed for transgender people,” Liesl said.
She also made mention of the book TRANS – Transgender Life Stories from South Africa which was published in November 2009. “Through the stories of 26 transgendered people interviewed for the book, and the stories of female partners of Female to Male transgender persons, as well as through emails, telephone calls and visits to our drop-in centre, there is evidence of prejudice or discrimination.”
Liesl highlighted some of these cases from the past two or three years saying that she was not even talking about cases of long ago. “Even now in South Africa, with its very progressive constitution, in reality  LGBTI people are not really covered or protected, and especially not transgendered people.”
She added, “We have to make an effort to take time to understand what transgender is about, what intersex is, what gender non-conforming is and try to work out ways to bring this information together in our everyday work, irrespective of which sector we are working in, because transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people are among the most vulnerable groups of people because of the identity and the way they present. They do not enjoy full citizenship.”
Lack of access to medical, mental health and security (police) services by and for trans people and ignorance of service providers place transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people at high risk of contracting HIV.
She emphasised that there was a need for attitudes in general to change and this could be achieved through awareness campaigns and education. One of her recommendations were that information should be included in curriculums at university level for medical service providers, which included doctors and nurses, and in practical training for policemen and the security forces.
“Awareness needs to be created. Then only will people begin to understand. We fear what we don’t understand and then we act on that fear,” she warned.
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