There is no safe space for Transgender People!
Opening of the Third European Transgender Council in Malmoe over shaded by racist and transphobic attack
In the night of September 30th two delegates from Turkey of the Third European Transgender Council were attacked by a group of five to seven people when leaving a restaurant. The trans activists have been harassed verbally and subject to physical violence.
“There is no safe space for transgender people in Europe. Last night’s attack showed once more that transphobia and racism are not only a problem of certain countries in Europe. Transphobia is everywhere”, says TGEU Vice chair Julia Ehrt.
“We express our solidarity with our activist friends. We are sad and angry and call upon the police to do everything to persecute the perpetrators,” says Dr Carsten Balzer from the “Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide” TvT- Research project.
The incident will be followed by the RFSL hate crime coordinator to ensure proper follow-up.
The 3rd European Transgender Council, organized by Transgender Europe in conjunction with a local organizing team in Malmoe brings together more than 200 activists from 35 different countries.
The largest European Human rights event on transgender issues deals among other topics with hate crimes and violence faced by gender variant people. In the last 30 months 33 transgender people were reported of being murdered in Europe according to TGEU’s TvT-project. 79% of trans people are subject to negative comments, harassment, physical and sexual abuse and violence according to the European Hate Crime Study published by Press for Change last year.
The Council is starting today with a video message from Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe and Vladimir Luxuria former member of the Italian Parliament. It will last until Sunday October 3rd.
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For further information on TGEU or the 3rd European Transgender Council visit www.tgeu.org or write to tgeu@tgeu.org.
More data from the “Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide” TvT- Research project can be found at www.transrespect-transphobia.org