The Issue

On Sunday, June 5, 2009, two transgender women, Clara Andrade Galdames and Grace Morales León were attacked at the corner of Freire and Chacabuco streets in Valparaíso City by six men. The attackers kicked, punched, and beat them with wood and iron sticks, leaving Clara and Grace 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, a city known for being highly dangerous to people of minority sexual orientations and gender identities because of homophobic neo-Nazi groups, according to reports issued by human rights organizations.

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

Take Action

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) joins Sindicato de Transgeneras Afrodita and ACCIONGAY MHOL in requesting that you contact the Governor of Valparaíso as well as other Chilean authorities including the Minister of General Secretary, the Minister of Justice, the National Attorney of Public Ministry, a presidential candidate, and the Sr. Seremi of Justice of Valparaíso, demanding a full and fair investigation into these attacks and calling for the adoption of measures to prevent similar crimes in the future.

** This call to action has ended **

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