In response to the ongoing investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department of the August 17th robbery and assault—all caught on mobile phone cameras and exploited on social media—of three transgender women in Hollywood, the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Director of Policy and Community Building Terra Russell-Slavin issued the following statement:
“The recent brutal attack in Hollywood of three transgender women is yet another reminder of the pervasive violence facing the trans community, especially trans women of color. These women deserve justice. We call on the LAPD and prosecutors to act quickly to ensure that this case is investigated as a hate crime.
“There have been more than 27 known murders of transgender or gender non-conforming people in the U.S. this year—the majority of whom were black trans women. This sobering statistic only scratches the surface of the violence and abuse that trans people face every day in this country. This violence must stop.
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center remains committed to ensuring that all LGBT people—especially those most at risk in our trans community—can thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Until that day is here, our work is far from over.”
If you have experienced hate violence and are in need of assistance, please reach out to the Center’s Anti-Violence Project at 323-993-7673.