Supporters hold a banner during the Annual Trangender Day of Action in Washington Square Park in New York City.
Since 2009, CRS has helped communities prevent and respond to violent hate crimes based on gender identity issues and conflicts. The Agency works with area leaders, law enforcement, elected officials, schools and universities, civil rights organizations, and community advocates to resolve underlying issues related to gender identity and prevent future tensions. CRS assists communities experiencing conflict related to gender identity by:
- Conducting trainings for law enforcement that provide information on the transgender community, in order to build and strengthen police-community relations and avoid behaviors or actions that may be perceived as offensive;
- Bringing together law enforcement, community leaders, local and state officials, and advocacy groups to relieve community tension in the wake of actual or perceived violent hate crimes based on gender identity; and
- Providing programs for students, teachers, and administrators of schools and universities to increase understanding of individuals with different gender identities and discuss the harmful effects of bullying and bias-based incidents.
Below are case summaries demonstrating how CRS has helped communities experiencing conflict based on gender identity. Additional examples are captured in the Agency's Annual Reports, which can be found on the CRS Resource Center webpage.