Amnesty International Launches New Research Project: "Police Interactions with Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People"

GLN POLICE BRUTALITY NEWS

Amnesty International Launches New Research Project:

"Police Interactions with Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People"

A part of its Campaign Against Discrimination, Amnesty International is researching interactions between police and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and communities. The areas covered by the project include:

* Police responses to harassment of or hate crimes against LGBT people;

* Police reponses to same-sex domestic violence;

* Police attitudes and actions when crimes involve LGBT individuals;

* Discriminatory targeting of LGBT communities for enforcement of lewd conduct laws and similar offences;

Incidents of verbal and sexual harassment, physical abuse, and sexual assault of LGBT people by police officers.

Preleminary research shows that LGBT individuals' experiences of policing differ depending on a number of factors, including race, gender, income, and immigration status and language barriers. Specific gropus within the LGBT community are disproportionately affected by police misconduct and brutality. LGBT people of color, youth, and sex trade workers are particularly vulnerable to police misconduct and abuse. Transgender people are also at greater risk of being targeted by police and treated inappropriately or abuseively while in police custody. This research project will reflect this critical diversity of experiences of police misconduct within LGBT communities.

Gathering individuals' accounts of their personal experiences with police is an important part of this project. Any information provided to Amnesty by individuals will be copmletely confidential unless the person wants to go public with their story. For more information, please contact Trine Christensen at tchriste@aiusa.org or 212/633-4277.

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