Over the past several years, the LGBTQ community has seen a steady increase in hate crimes nationwide. As the National Coalition of Anti-Violence reminds us people of color, transgender and gender non-conforming people continue to make up the majority of victims of LGBTQ and HIV affected related hate violence.
The DC Center strongly condemns all hate-motivated attacks: those that have garnered headlines in the news as well as those that have remained hidden. People in the LGBT community deserve to live in a safe and supportive environment and these crimes undermine the worth and dignity of the entire population.
The DC Anti-Violence Project, a program of the DC Center, works to reduce violence against LGBTQ individuals (and those perceived as LGBTQ) through community outreach, education, and monitoring cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of LGBTQ victims are respected and protected. DCAVP also seeks to assist victims of anti-LGBT violence by advocating on their behalf, encouraging reporting, and providing a community of support.
In a time where acts of violence against the LGBT community (and other communities that intersect with ours) are up, funding for supportive services for victims are scarce. We will continue to work with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Metropolitan Police Department, and all other interested community partners to address this growing issue of concern.
We invite all interested parties to attend the next meeting of the DC Anti-Violence Project on Thursday September 27th at 7:00 PM. All of the city’s leaders and the community’s stakeholders need to be engaged to resolve this pressing problem. As a center for the LGBT and broader community at large, we open our doors to ALL victims of violence, including domestic and hate related violence, and seek solutions to promote a safe as possible environment for all.
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