Report: More Than 2,000 Incidents of Anti-LGBT Violence in 2013

A new report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs highlights the startling levels of violence faced by LGBT Americans. The organization's annual LGBTQ and HIV-positive hate violence report states that there were more than 2,000 reported incidents of anti-LGBT violence in 2013, consistent with 2012 levels.

Of the 18 reported anti-LGBTQ homicides in 2013, 89 percent of the victims were people of color, and 72 percent were transgender women.

"What emerges clearly in the findings of this year's report is that many of the people at risk for the most severe hate violence are at the intersection of multiple forms of oppression and discrimination including racism and citizenship status," said Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization technical assistance director Aaron Eckhardt. "Anti-LGBTQ hate violence can no longer be viewed in isolation from other forms of violence that our community members are experiencing based on their identities."

"This year we are seeing fewer survivors reporting hate violence to the police, and those survivors are being met with increased hostility when they do report," said Christopher Argyros, project manager for the Anti-Violence Project at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. "For some of our most impacted communities, especially transgender people and transgender people of color, the hostility and violence faced at the hands of the police is at an alarming level."

Transgender people of color found themselves six times more likely to experience physical violence at the hands of a police officer than white, cisgender survivors. Only 45 percent of LGBTQ survivors reported incidents to the police.

NCAVP lists a number of recommendations it would like to see legislators, advocates, and community members work to implement in the immediate future, focusing on addressing issues of poverty, employment discrimination, and police profiling, and working to increase funding to LGBT and HIV-affected research and support organizations.