Murders of LGBT, Transgenders In the USA Spike Up 86 Percent

By: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

WASHINGTON, D.C — According to the 2017 study conducted by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, there was a disturbing increase in hate-related homicides of LGBT and HIV-affected people in the U.S.A.

The study showed a staggering increase of hate-related crimes as high as 52 cases which according to the report, is a stunning increase of 86 percent from 2016. This also marks the first time in the 20-year history of tracking hate crimes against LGBT and HIV-affected people has been this high.

What is known throughout the LGBTQ community was verified with the 2017 study as it showed that the majority of victims were transgender women and gay, bisexual, or queer cisgender (nontrans) men between the ages of 18-45. One number shocked many as it showed that people of color captured a stunning 71 percent of the victims recorded in this study. Black victims also represented 50 percent of the total victims in the study.

Many including coalition leaders say that the cause of the record breaking violence includes rhetoric coming from the the highest levels of government meaning of course, president Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and several GOP members of both the U.S. Senate and U.S House of Representatives.

The New York City Anti-Violence Project released the following statement:

“This report is a wake-up call for all of us,” executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, said in a press release. “Our communities live in an increasingly hostile and dangerous climate, after a year of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies coming from the White House, federal government agencies, state and local sources and in our communities across the country. Anti-LGBTQ violence has long been a crisis, but NCAVP has watched the escalation of violence this past year with great concern.

“I urge everyone to read the stories and look at the photos of the 52 individuals lost to hate violence in 2017 – they are our friends, family, coworkers. and fellow LGBTQ community members. NCAVP will continue to say their names and recommits to doing all we can to prevent hate violence and support survivors. We must bring more attention and action to deal with this epidemic of violence and work across all of our diverse communities to protect those most vulnerable and stand up to the hostile forces that have created this unacceptable climate of hate.”

Review the Study Here