In a letter to the Department of Justice and the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sen. Al Franken expressed “serious concern about the alarming number of homicides and violent crimes targeting transgender and gender nonconforming people.”
The letter, sent on Wednesday, noted that 22 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been murdered in 2015, 19 of which were people of color, and that many cities aren’t reporting bias-related crimes against transgender and gender nonconforming people.
“I strongly urge the U.S. Department of Justice to work with state and local authorities in the investigation and prosecution of these incidents, and to redouble its efforts to ensure the accurate reporting of all bias-motivated crimes,” Franken wrote.
Franken identified specific policies in the letter:
In light of the startling increase in violence against transgender Americans, I request information on the Department of Justice’s work to improve the tracking and reporting of bias-motivated crime. Underreporting of not just anti-transgender crime, but all bias-motivated crimes, obscures the threats many of our citizens endure every day. I applaud the Department of Justice and the FBI for their enforcement efforts to date, as well as the Department’s work to train federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to respond appropriately and effectively to reports of bias-motivated violence. However, accurate data on the frequency and severity of attacks is needed in order to direct prevention and enforcement efforts to the jurisdictions most in need of assistance.
In addition, I urge the Department to work proactively with local authorities to identify, investigate, and solve homicides and other serious violent crimes targeting transgender people, and to make strong public statements condemning the disturbing trend of anti-transgender violence this year. Further, there are indications that distrust in law enforcement among LGBT communities, and inaccurate or disrespectful reporting regarding transgender victims, have been barriers to investigations. The Department should develop a model policy for law enforcement agencies on interactions with LGBT and gender nonconforming individuals and guidance on public communications regarding crimes against members of the transgender community.
Franken’s letter called attention to the murder of Zella Ziona:
On the afternoon of Thursday, October 15, 2015, a young man reportedly confronted 21-year-old Zella Ziona behind a laundromat in Gaithersburg, Maryland. After what witnesses describe as an argument, Zella suffered multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead hours later, the second transgender woman to die in a homicide this month. However, for nearly 24 hours after her murder, Zella was misidentified by police reports and local media that incorrectly described her as male. Although the extent to which anti-transgender bias played a role in her death remains unknown, it has been reported that the suspect plotted the attack on Zella after she approached him in public and embarrassed him in front of his friends.
Here’s Franken’s full letter:
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Hope it’s an honest study as much is to be seen as caused by Christian Bigotry and views. Trans women of colour are targets as the Black community is very much against Trans and killing seems to be justified because WE are not accepted as a welcomed member of Christianity. The Catholic Church, being a leader in Christianity, is rampant with Mis-Information regarding from the last Pope Benedict, who received prejudiced information from a Retired Psychologist of Johns Hopkins who Hates Trans people (Documented) and told the Pope WE do not need Chemical or Body surgery just Mental therapy. All that has been proven as archaic and really out of date as is his theories dating from early 1970’s. (This Documented also by his Peers as such, and misusing others studies not meant for his use) The present Pope has added insult to what Benedict wrote, by referring to US as ‘Nuclear Weapons ‘ and an Abomination to God if WE use surgery or Medication on our Bodies. Here is an example as the two largest Catholic countries in the world that have the most Killings. Brazil with over 95 Killed this year and Mexico at 50 Killed all in very Horrendous Fashion, multiple gunshots, stabbings, bashing with pipes and covered in gasoline and lit. We in the USA are over 26 killed most Trans Women of Colour. These are Christian and Macho Manly countries so they have an excuse to do it for God. Hope your study finds an answer, the simple fact is most people think WE choose this Journey, when it is something WE are born with, a Birth Anomaly and the Doctors Assigned US with a their view of Gender which was what we had between our legs. FYI Sex is between your LEGS, Gender is between your EARS. WE Trans were Born with a Brain opposite our assigned Gender, simple as that. OUR BRAINS are our Real Gender.
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