Police mistreatment and abuse widespread in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities nationwide

In the most comprehensive report of its kind to date, Amnesty International (AI) reveals that police mistreatment and abuse of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are widespread nationwide and go largely unchecked due to underreporting and unclear, under-enforced or non-existent policies and procedures.

"Across the country, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people endure the injustices of discrimination, entrapment and verbal abuse as well as brutal beatings and sexual assault at the hands of those responsible for protecting them - the police," said Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA). "Some, including transgender individuals, people of color and the young suffer disproportionately, especially when poverty leaves them vulnerable to homelessness and exploitation and less likely to draw public outcry or official scrutiny. It is a sorry state of affairs when the police misuse their power to inflict suffering rather than prevent it."

source: Article 'Police Mistreatment and Abuse Widespread in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities Nationwide'; www.amnesty.nl/persberichten/RB-PB018.shtml; Amnesty.nl; 22 September 2005