The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has released its 2011 report, Hate Violence Against LGBTQ and HIV-Affected Communities in the U.S., showing the highest murder rate ever recorded.
Though there was a 16 percent decrease in hate violence incidents, 30 anti-LGBTQH murders took place in 2011, an 11 percent increase over 2010. For the second year in a row, the report shows an increase in crimes against people of color as well as transgender or gender non-conforming people and gay men.
All data was collected from 16 anti-violence programs in 16 states across the country, and the NCAVP is calling for change.
The report’s authors hope the statistics help increase funding for LGBTQH anti-violence support and prevention and put an end to police profiling and violence against LGBTQH communities. The NCAVP says reducing poverty in LGBTQH communities and abolishing discriminatory laws will hasten the end of anti-LGBTQH violence.
“NCAVP’s findings are a call to policymakers, advocates and community members that the prevention of violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected individuals needs to be a priority,” said Chai Jindasurat, NCAVP Coordinator at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. “Our recommendations and best practices provide specific solutions for addressing and ending violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected people in this country. We call on policymakers, advocates and community members to be a part of these solutions if we want to see anti-LGBTQH murder and severe violence decrease.”
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