From: International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission Date: 18 Jun 94 17:18 PDT Anti-Gay Violence in Sinaloa, Mexico Activists from Tranvestis de Culiacan have documented a disturbing pattern of violence against gay men and transvestites in the Mexican State of Sinaloa. The violence includes a three year long string of murders of gay men and transvestites, as well as aggressive and nearly constant police harrassment. Although it does not seem that the murders are being conducted by the same persons, it does seem that taken together the long list of incidents documented by Tranvestis de Culiacan represents an escalating tide of intolerance that has created an atmosphere where anti-gay violence is condoned and expected to go unpunished. Twelve gay men were killed in 1992 in the State of Sinaloa. The majority of these crimes remain unsolved. Many of the victims were severely beaten or stabbed repeatedly. In some cases the murders were linked to robberies or extortion campaigns, but often there was no readily identifiable motive for the crime. Although Tranvestis de Culiacan report only one murder in 1993, the group has already documented four murders during 1994. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is concerned that these murders may in part be explained by the atmosphere of heterosexist intolerance being whipped up by a series of very public police raids against transvestite sex workers. The frequent raids, often conducted on a weekly basis, are rife with irregularities. Persons arrested are often subject to detention without former charges or arrest records. While detained transvestites face beatings, heavy fines, extortion, sexual assault and even rape. The detentions are either unreported, or covered in sensationalistic fashion by the press, who consistently print the names and addresses of the detained transvestites, occasionally with accompanying photos. The newspaper stories are often peppered with disparaging adjectives used to describe the victims of the raids. IGLHRC has also been given credible evidence documenting a series of raids on the private homes of transvestites. The raids are conducted without appropriate arrest or serach warrants. The language and attitude of the police officers suggest that the raids are meant to harass the transvestites in retaliation for their public protests over police misconduct. Of further concern to IGLHRC is testimony that transvestites detained by the police are sometimes subject to forced HIV testing. In one especially troubling raid, fourteen transvestites were detained for several days and forced to take HIV antibody tests. They were never given the results. Respectfully worded letters are needed making the following points: 1. Acts of violence against lesbians and gays are best resisted when governments utilize every resource at their disposal to bring the perpetrators to justice. Unsolved murders only create an atmosphere where violence against sexual minorities is implicitly condoned. Local officials should do everything in there power to bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice. 2. Prostitution can not be made to disappear with police crack downs. Government officials should be engaging in open and frank dialogue with sex workers in Sinaloa to find a more constructive manner to balance the interests of the state and the sex workers. 3. Cross dressing is not illegal in Mexico and police harassment of transvestites, based on an officer's personal distaste of cross dressing is unacceptable. Being raped, extorted, beaten, and sexually assaulted are not punishments that law enforcement officers should ever take it upon themselves to summarily dole out. Write to: Ing. Renato Vega Alvarado, Gobernador Constitutional de Sinaloa, Unidad Administrativa, Av. de los Insurgentes y Aguilar Barraza s/n, Centro Sinaloa C.P. 80 129, Culiacan, Sinaloa, MEXICO; fax: +52-67-14-44-01 Dr. Humberto Gomez Campana, Presidente Municipal de Culiacan, Alvaro Obregon (e/ Juarez y Escobedo), C.P. 80 000, Culiacan, Sinaloa, MEXICO; fax: +52-67-12-97-31 Lic. Jaime Cinco Soto, Presidente, Comision Estatal de Derechos Humanos, Blvd. Leyva Solano 62 poniente, C.P. 80 020, Culiacan, Sinaloa, MEXICO; fax: +52-67-16-08-58 Lic. Oscar Loza Ochoa, Presidente, Comision de defensa de los Derechos Humanos en Sinaloa, Andrade 475 Norte Despacho 8, C.P. 80 000, Culiacan, Sinaloa, MEXICO; fax: 52-67-12-56-80