Cops slammed for failing to help lesbians

Human Rights Watch has blasted the police as it released its latest report into violence against black lesbians and transgender men in the country.

The international rights group claims that the report, We'll Show You, You're a Woman, was ignored by the police and published it without police comment.

The police were also criticised for failing to deal correctly with reported cases of violence against lesbians and transgender men, and, said researcher Dipika Nath, they routinely failed to respond "appropriately" when victims reported abuse.

"Very often, the police fail, or refuse, to register cases, and if they do, somehow dockets get lost," said Nath.

The 93-page report, based on 120 interviews with lesbians and transgender men in six provinces, was released on the day that the pre-sentencing reports of the killers of lesbian Zoliswa Nkonyana were handed to the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court.

In one of the personal stories in the Human Rights Watch report, 18-year-old Nombeko said: "I'll get raped because I'm a lesbian. It makes me want to stay closeted ... my girlfriend stays alone - everyone knows this. For sure [the men in my neighbourhood] are planning something. It's just that the day hasn't come yet."

National police spokesman Dennis Adriao had not responded to questions by The Times at the time of going to press.

The Human Rights Watch report recommends that:

• The police act against officers who "harass, intimidate, or abuse complainants, with specific focus on women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community";
• The Department of Basic Education should include material on sexual orientation, and gender expression and identity, in teacher-training manuals and in life-orientation classes at schools;
• President Jacob Zuma should publicly condemn gender-based violence, including homophobic violence, and "affirm the principles" of the constitution to all South Africans; and
• The National Prosecuting Authority should ensure that all cases of sexual and physical violence against women and transgender people went to trial on time, and that prosecutors prioritised cases involving sexual offences.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development's Corlia Kok said yesterday that the National Task Team on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexed issues still needed funding.

Kok said that workshops had been held with various NGOs to "find solutions" to violence against lesbians and transgender men.

Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel announced the task team's formation in October.

Nel said during the announcement that the task team consisted of "a selection of members of government departments, and 10 representatives of NGO s and civil society organis ations".