It is very regrettable that Focus: The Identity Trust has to report that a young Transgender woman in Derry/Londonderry became the most recent victim of what PSNI Officers are describing as a serious sectarian or
hate-crime incident. Should this crime prove to be motivated by Transphobia, it is the most serious report of a Transphobic Hate Crime recorded in the North for a very long time.
This incident comes very soon after Transgender individuals all over the island of Ireland were celebrating the enabling by the Irish Government of one of the most progressive pieces of Gender recognition legislation globally and the election of Dr Lydia Foy as “European Citizen of the Year 2015” and has somewhat tarnished the celebrations around these 2 landmark occasions for Transgender individuals across the entire island.
Not only has this incident caused great distress to this unfortunate young woman, who has already indicated that she may never return to her home through fear, but it also causes doubts as to their safety to her immediate friends, acquaintances and other Transgender individuals across the North.
Each and every Hate crime incident is like a stone thrown into a still pool, in that ripples of unease and fear spread out to gradually engulf the victim’s peers, their wider circle until ultimately everyone in society’s anxiety levels are raised and we all feel less safe.
Each and every Hate crime, no matter who the victim or what the motivation diminishes us as a Society. Focus: The Identity Trust now calls on the local community in Derry/Londonderry to contact the PSNI with any information it may have in relation to this crime. We sincerely hope this young woman is surrounded by solid support from good friends and that she is able to return with confidence to her own home in the near future. We would like to reassure her that we are always here to offer her support at any stage should she feel the need to contact us.
Focus: The Identity Trust is aware of the continuous torrent of Hate incidents, Hate Crimes and Domestic and Sexual abuse endured on a daily basis by Transgender individuals, particularly Transgender women across the North and which goes largely unreported. We would appeal to all victims of such incidents and crimes to use the direct links on our website to report these incidents and crimes so that their true extent may be recorded, recognised and acted upon, so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice and a stop put to their heinous actions for the good of all in Society.
