UL report shows that transgender hate crimes go unreported
A REPORT documenting hate crimes against transgender people launched last week in the University of Limerick has found that the grouping face elevated levels of violence and discrimination.
The STAD: Stop Transphobia and Discrimination report, commissioned by the Transgender Equality Network in Ireland, is the first of its kind and was launched in UL following on from the success of a symposium on hate crime held in the university in May.
The report documented 32 hate incidents, of which 15 were designated hate crimes. Eighty-eight percent of respondents experienced verbal abuse or insults, 28% experienced threats of violence, 19% experienced physical violence and 6% experienced sexual harassment.
One respondent said they had received "abusive phone calls making very violent threats and intentions".
Fewer than half of the incidents were reported to the authorities.
Amanda Haynes co-director of the Hate and Hostility research group in UL said the report "evidences the targeting of transgender and gender variant persons and their subjection to harassment, violence and discrimination".
"International research shows that the impact of such hate crimes on victims is even more severe because of the hostility which motivates them and that there is a ripple effect felt across the whole community."
A panel discussion, 'Understanding Transphobic Hate Crime', preceded the launch of the report, which was formally launched by Tom Lodge, dean of arts and humainties in UL.