An 18-year-old gay man from Texas was allegedly slain by a classmate who feared a sexual advance. A 31-year-old transgender woman from Pennsylvania was found dead with a pillowcase around her head. A 24-year-old lesbian from Florida was killed by her girlfriend’s father, who disapproved of the relationship. The Los Angeles Times said those were among 2010 crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people compiled by a national coalition of anti-hate organizations.
The report showed a 13 percent increase over 2009 in violent crimes committed against people because of their perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or status as HIV positive, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. Last year’s homicide count reached 27, up from 22 in 2009, and was the second-highest total since the coalition began tracking such crimes in 1996. Of those killed, 70 percent were minorities and 44 percent were transgender women. The data are compiled by the coalition’s 43 participating organizations and are not comprehensive. They include crimes reported to the groups by victims who did not seek help from law enforcement. In fact, half of the 2010 assault survivors did not make police reports, with minorities and transgender people the least likely to come forward, the report said.