Trans individuals are often “misgendered or retraumatized” when dealing with law enforcement officers, said a community leader at a public forum that explored hate against LGBTQ+ communities.
“We are here to empower … and look for solutions and strategies to continue uplifting our communities,” said Rita Garcia, violence prevention program manager for the TransLatin@ Coalition, during the June 20 forum at the San Fernando Library.
To help accomplish that goal, Garcia told the panel and fellow attendees that she thinks police officers should receive ongoing diversity training and routine assessments to ensure the training they receive is effective and has a positive impact on the communities they serve.
Unfortunately, she believes that currently isn’t the case.
“In reality, listening to the clients that we serve and the data that we’re collecting, the narrative that is being shared [describes] challenges and barriers … when it comes to reporting incidents or crimes” – increasing the likelihood that current and future crimes will remain underreported, noted Garcia. She said she hopes continued public discussions can help make a difference.
The forum – dubbed “LGBTQ+ and Trans Community Anti-Hate Awareness Forum” – was co-hosted by the LA County Commission on Human Relations and the San Fernando Valley Sun/El Sol. Six panelists representing the county, law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations answered questions, shared resources to help curb hate and support affected individuals, and encouraged people to report all hate crimes and incidents.
“Being the victim of a hate incident [or crime] can be a life altering experience, and we want to make sure that people’s stories count,” said panelist Dr. Monica Lomeli, hate documentation lead for the LA County Human Relations Commission. “[We want to] work towards providing resources and programs to those communities that are most affected.”
What is the Difference Between a Hate Crime or Hate Incident?
Lomeli said a hate crime is any criminal offense “motivated by a bias, hatred or prejudice against a member of a protected class,” targeting a person due to their true or perceived race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation. A hate incident, she continued, is any hostile expression or nonviolent action toward an individual – with the same underlying motivation – that does not rise to the level of a crime, such as a homophobic slur being yelled at a person.
Hate crime statistics from 2022 show that 18% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual orientation, and 81% of those crimes targeted gay men, said Lomeli. That same year, 44 anti-transgender crimes were reported, the largest number documented to date, and 91% were violent crimes. Unfortunately, these numbers are most likely “the tip of the iceberg,” she said.
Echoing some of Garcia’s concerns, Lomeli acknowledged that hate victims often face challenges to reporting crimes and incidents, including concerns about feeling revictimized by the reporting process, fear of retaliation by the perpetrator or language barriers. However, she emphasized the importance of accurate data, which can only be obtained via reporting, she said.
By reporting detailed data about their experiences today, community members can help the county properly staff and deploy future programs and resources “to the communities that are being most affected by hate … [to] build respectful and resilient communities,” said Lomeli.
The Role of Law Enforcement
Sergeant Keith Ho, LGBTQ+ Community Liaison for the LA County Sheriff’s Department, reiterated Lomeli’s plea.
“People are not reporting enough. I want the community to come out and report when [hate] incidents and crimes have taken place,” said Ho, noting that he can help community members navigate the steps and paperwork required. “So we encourage victims, we encourage witnesses to call … to let us know, so that way we can properly document and investigate whether it’s a crime or incident and start a paper trail.”
Resources and Feedback
April Johnson, training and dialogue lead with the LA County Human Relations Commission, said the county provides free training programs for workplaces, schools and others, which can be designed to address a range of topics, including “Understanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” “Managing the Influence of Bias” and “Cultural Competency and Collaboration.”
“Valuing diversity and robust inclusiveness is so important and necessary,” explained Johnson, noting that it can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives when they “feel like their voices are being heard” and they know they have a “[seat] at the table.”
“At the end of the day, in spite of whatever differences we have – and this is what I say in training all the time – at the root, we are all human beings first,” she said. “And having a mutual level of respect for one another in that space is so very important.”
Francisco Brambila, who works with the survivor services and legal services departments at the LA LGBT Center, said he attended the public forum because he believes community gatherings are “fundamental and essential to providing effective advocacy to our community.”
“I’ve learned that the best way you can provide advocacy is by being part of that intersection, where the government can communicate with members of the community,” Brambila told the San Fernando Valley Sun/El Sol following the forum. “Being here today was about giving visibility to diverse voices, about giving visibility to the clients that we serve. … It’s vital.”
“With today’s forum, we took some small steps in the right direction,” added Garcia. “There’s a lot of work to be accomplished, however, but having these different presentations and diverse representation in one room is powerful – it’s a sign of collaboration and it’s a sign of moving in a new direction.”
When reporting a hate crime or hate incident, ensure you are in a safe place. For an emergency, dial 9-1-1. To make a report via LA vs Hate, call 2-1-1 or go to lavshate.org and provide a detailed description of the situation. To contact the District Attorney’s Victim Services Program, go to: https://da.lacounty.gov/victims.
This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.