The video posted by Vox shows how transgender women are attacked and assaulted for having a different gender identity from their sex. Savannah Bowens is one of the many women who have transitioned in the world but still fear for their lives (Vox, 2018). The video report that many transgender women have been mysteriously murdered but the law enforcement agencies are reluctant to investigate such cases. According to the Office for Victims of Crime (2014), one in two transgender women has been sexually assaulted or abused in their lives. Despite the spreading knowledge of the LGBQT+ community, society is yet to accept their existence.
Transgender women face identification problems with the police when their identity marker does not match their appearance. Most police are usually in a hurry to misjudge the group for personification, imposter, and fraud because of the mismatch of their identity. These women are often beaten because they differ from society’s perception of gender identity and sexual orientation (Office for Victims of Crime, 2014). To avoid such problems, transgender women try to change their national identification cards to include their new identity. However, the process is challenging as it requires varied information from different experts.
Living in a society that does not accept or acknowledge a person’s gender identity is difficult. Transgender assaulters can be anybody but the resonating thing is that the group also suffers at the hands of those in power. According to the Office for Victims of Crime (2014), 15% of transgender women are sexually assaulted in jail or police custody, and the number doubles for African Americans. Transgender assault cases are increasing in the global sphere especially in the most developed countries. In the least developed countries, the LGBTQ+ community is denied recognition, and corresponding discrimination is directed towards the individuals.
Gender-based street harassment is a common problem in major cities, especially in the least conspicuous corners. Women are sexually or verbally harassed by street men or even fellow women (Peterson, 2014). It does not have to be a man who harasses a woman, women also harass other women. For example, a woman asks for direction from a fellow woman but leaves without saying thank you, her fellow woman says, “you are welcome bitch!” Street harassment is demeaning to women and psychologically affects some. Indeed, women with harassment history are less likely to walk in the streets at night or by themselves in fear of being verbally attacked.
Street harassment includes gestures, unwanted comments, and wrong actions directed to someone in public. Harassment could include making unnecessary demands, uttering demeaning comments about one’s physical appearance, or making wrong requests (Fileborn & Vera-Gray, 2017). Unlike men, women are prone and vulnerable to sexual harassment in the streets. Men often comment about a woman’s body or dress code by making fun of it. Such actions could lead to low self-esteem in women and worst cases depression.
Street harassment behavior highly contributes to rape or attempted rape cases. Society in some way has accepted that it is okay for women to receive such harassment. Most comments about women’s bodies indicate how society sees women as sexual objects (Fileborn & Vera-Gray, 2017). The ignorance of this problem is evident in how the media and general public barely cover the topic in daily debates. Indeed, street harassment incidences are often pursued by human activists and a few law enforcement agencies. The ignorance of the street harassment issue has highly contributed to moral decay and gender inequality in the communities globally.
References
Fileborn, B., & Vera-Gray, F. (2017). “I want to be able to walk the street without fear”: Transforming justice for street harassment. Feminist Legal Studies, 25(2), 203-227. Web.
Office for Victims of Crime. (2014). Responding to transgender victims of sexual assaults. Web.
Peterson, D. (2014). Stop telling women to smile [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Vox. (2018). How ID laws can put trans people in danger [Video]. YouTube. Web.