Gscene News Archive

IGLHRC (The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission) has called for people to write to leading Chilean politicians demanding a full inquiry into recent attacks on transgender people in the city of Valparaiso.

Last month two transgender women were attacked in Valparaíso City by six men. The attackers kicked, punched, and beat them with wood and iron sticks, leaving the women with multiple hematomas and cuts on their heads, legs and other parts of their bodies. Although the Chilean police have already detained the suspected attackers, these kinds of attacks are frequent in Valparaíso. According to reports issued by human rights organizations, the city is known for being highly dangerous to people of minority sexual orientations and gender identities because of homophobic neo-Nazi groups.

Between 2002 and 2008 Chile has had 389 accusations and confirmed cases of discrimination against people of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, affecting 11% of transgender people.

For more information, including a suggested letter and the e-mail addresses of leading Chilean politicians:
www.iglhrc.org/cgi-bin/iowa/article/takeaction/globalactionalerts/949.html