The recent wave of antigay violence in New York City touched Philadelphia this week with an attack on a former resident. While all of the recent incidents appear isolated, each instance of violence is one too many. And stemming what could be a growing wave of antigay violence needs to be a collaborative effort involving proactive efforts from LGBTs, allies and all citizens concerned about the scourge of violence on our cities.
First, individuals need to take steps to protect themselves. Anyone can be a victim, so regardless of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, standard safety guides can be helpful for anyone — not walking by yourself at night, remaining aware of your surroundings, keeping cell phones and other belongings out of sight.
But, as we have seen in recent weeks, those simple rules may not serve to protect from an assailant bent on bringing harm to someone because of his or her suspected orientation or identity. While tremendous strides have been made for LGBT equality, that doesn’t mean the community can become complacent. LGBT people shouldn’t be afraid to hold their partners’ hands or attend a Pride event, but they also need to be ever-aware of their surroundings and cognizant of whom they’re associating with.
Bystanders can also play an active role in fending off crime. In the Monday evening incident in New York City, more than 20 people witnessed the attack, and many rushed to the aid of the victim, and sought to stop the assailant. Just as anti-bullying advocates laud the role that students can play in speaking up for bullied classmates, passersby can also be key players. Whether the intervention comes from the friends of a victim, strangers on the street or even companions of an aggressor, it is important that all parties who have the opportunity to safely attempt to diffuse a potentially violent situation capitalize on that chance.
Cooperation is also imperative from law enforcement. When a person becomes a victim, the last thing he or she needs or deserves is further victimization from the authorities investigating the crime. In the recent New York incidents, every indication is that police were respectful of the victims and committed to seeking justice, but law-enforcement agencies across the country should be proactive in ensuring that their officers and investigators are well-trained to provide equal levels of service to all victims.
Finally, antigay violent crimes need to be viewed by law as equal to crimes motivated by the victim’s race, religion, national origin or other classes often protected in hate-crimes laws. Pennsylvania does not currently include sexual orientation and gender identity on the same level as these protected classes, although a federal law does. The state, and the many others that have not yet enhanced their hate-crimes laws, need to move forward, and quickly, to communicate the message that violence against LGBTs is not accepted.
Fighting back against anti-LGBT violence needs to be a cooperative effort with genuine commitment on all fronts.