Charleston Police | Photo: Flickr/North Charleston
Police in Charleston, South Carolina are now saying a man who attacked a transgender woman last Sunday (August 19) used slurs against her gender identity.
Initially, police denied bias was a component of the confrontation.
The incident report identifies the victim as a 34-year-old trans woman. She was leaving Deco Nightclub in the early hours of Sunday with her sister when a man outside got into a confrontation with them.
According to the allegations, the man kicked the woman’s sister in the stomach. That’s when the trans woman moved to defend her sister and the man punched her, knocking her out.
A police officer arrived shortly after and the woman was transported to Medical University Hospital.
A change of narrative
The initial report of the assault gave no indication the man attacked the woman due to her gender identity. Charleston police spokesman Charles Francis said this report came from the responding office, who did not speak to the victim.
Investigators later spoke to the woman and also saw surveillance video of the confrontation.
On Tuesday (28 August), the police came to the conclusion that bias and discrimination played a part.
Chase Glenn, executive director of Alliance for Full Acceptance, said the woman returned to work and is still recovering.
‘We know that instances like this unfortunately instill the climate of fear that exists within the transgender community … and contributes to their resistance to reporting instances of violence,’ he said. ‘We hope to create visibility for this issue.’
H/t: Post and Courier
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