Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 08:57:59 -0400 (EDT) From: David Casti Subject: VJ '94 Hate Crimes Report Is there a group in Maryland similar to VJ that publishes the sorts of stats? Virginians for Justice can be contacted at va4justice@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Casti Pager: (800) 980-6227 Information Scientist http://www.casti.com/casti/David.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael, Here's our annual report. There are a few national stats embedded in the intro. We have one copy of the national report in our Richmond office, but it is too lengthy to fax. If you want some national info and are having trouble getting it from NGLTF, call the VJ office (9-1, M-F). Pat The Virginians For Justice 1994 Summary of Hate Violence Introduction Hate violence is an extreme method used to maintain the status quo. It is violence targeted against an individual or organization because that person or group is perceived to be a member of a class of people different from that which is considered normal. The groups targeted for hate violence often have little political or social power and are marginalized in society. A society based on individual freedom and justice cannot tolerate violent intimidation against its citizens for to do so means the loss of the very ideals of freedom and justice on which it is based. Anti-lesbian and anti-gay violence remains a pervasive problem throughout the United States. Without exception, dozens of surveys, reports and analyses have found that gay men and lesbians are disproportionately the victims of violence. Without exception, the Virginia General Assembly has chosen to ignore the evidence and has refused to include sexual orientation in statutes designed to increase the punishment for hate violence offenders. Each year, Virginians For Justice produces a report to analysis the hate violence against the Commonwealth's gay and lesbian community in the hopes that the citizens of the Commonwealth will band together and put an end to the violent intimidation that is a part of every day in the life of a gay man or lesbian. A number of criteria were used to determine if an incident was motivated by anti-lesbian /gay hate. These criteria include: 1) the offenders used anti-gay or AIDS related language; 2) the crime showed evidence of intense rage; 3) the incident coincided with a lesbian/gay event; 4) the victim was engaged in activities promoting lesbian/gay rights, or activities in response to AIDS; 5) a substantial portion of the lesbian/gay community where the crime occurred perceived that the incident was motivated by bias. Great care was taken to remove questionable reports from the data. Unfortunately, the very definition of hate violence presupposes the ability of acts of violence to create fear in the intended victims. This fear often expresses itself in an unwillingness to report hate violence to the proper authorities and even to organizations, such as Virginians For Justice, that are community based. The result is that an estimated 80% of all hate incidents go unreported. The information contained in this document serves as the final report for the 1994 reporting year of the Virginians For Justice Hate Crimes Advisory Task Force. The report summarizes those incidents reported from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 1994. Questions and comments regarding this report can be sent to: Virginians For Justice PO Box 342 Richmond, VA 23202 (804) 643-4816 Highlights - Anti-Gay/Lesbian Violence in 1994 The following are some of the highlights of both Virginia's 1994 anti- gay/lesbian violence 1994 report and of Anti-Gay/Lesbian Violence in 1994, a collaborative effort of 23 victim assistance and violence documentation programs across the nation. The Virginia report documented 30 incidents of violence around the state in 1994. 2,064 incidents were tracked in nine tracking programs around the country. Women were the victims in 19% of the Virginia incidents. Men comprised another 53% and the remaining 28% being either gay/lesbian organizations or unknown. The percentage of attacks against organizations or institutions was significantly higher in Virginia then the national average of 8%. The number of Virginia incidents involving physical assaults rose in 1994 to 30%, significantly higher then the 19% reported in 1992. However, Virginia is still far below the national average of 43% of all incidents being violent incidents. The large percentage of incidents against organizations or institutions resulted in a large number of "unknown" perpetrators and a large number of organizations which were considered the victims. Of those known perpetrators and individual victims, 83% of the Virginia perpetrators were under age 30 and, of those, 16% were estimated to be under age 18. 52 % of the victims were over age 30, and only 5% were under 18. This roughly corresponds with national averages of 72% of the perps under age 30 but is far lower then the 30% of offenders nationally under the age of 18. Nearly 35% of all incidents where the number of perpetrators were known included two or more offenders. 23% included 4 or more offenders. This again corresponds with national trends. The over all ratio of offenders to victims was 1.47 to 1 nationally. In Virginia, the ratio of offenders to victims was 1.34 to 1 where vandalism or harassment of an organization was tallied to include one victim and only one offender. The offender-to-victim ration for all forms of hate crime, as reported to the FBI, is 1.19 to 1. Seventy gay-related homicides were documented, occurring in 25 states and the District of Columbia. Four of those murders took place in Virginia. HATE CRIMES NARRATIVES 1994 REPORT October 31, 1994 Northern Virginia An unknown perpetrator scrawled the words "homos", "fags", and "HIV-positive"on the walls of Whitman-Walker Clinic, known for its AIDS support programs. Although a report was taken by local police, the police have stated that they are not currently working on the case. September 17, 1994 Suffolk The nude body of Garland LeRoy Taylor was found alongside a road in rural Suffolk. He is believed to be the 9th victim of the Hampton Roads Serial murderer and, like the others, was found strangled. June 13, 1994 Henrico County Henry Weatherford, Jr, an antiques dealer, was shot to death in his home. Some possessions were stolen. Gary Ray Bowles, a anti-gay serial murderer, is suspected in Weatherford's death. June 10, 1994 Portsmouth Gary Watts was shot and killed by his lover's father, Billy Taylor, Sr. Following a brief confrontation over his son's relationship, Taylor shot Watts in both legs. As Watts tried to escape, he was shot in the back and killed. December 17, 1994 Franklin County In the early morning hours, Larry Armijo beat Harold Coon in the head with a skillet and then stabbed him until he died. Armijo later called 911 and said he had stabbed someone in self defense. The sheriff's deputies responded and found Coon's body in the trunk of a car. Armijo claims he beat Coon after Coon made sexual advances towards him. First-degree murder charges are pending. July 16, 1994 Chesterfield A lesbian couple were swimming at a public state park. An African American male approached them and splashed them heavily, stating "dykes, dykes, get out of the water!" One of the women exchanged words with the man and he responded by punching her in the face and ear. A park security guard was notified, but no charges were filed. November 25, 1994 Winchester Two opposite sex couples entered a known gay bar. The owner advised them it was a facility which catered to gay clientele, and the couples did not express any surprise and simply continued to drink. One of the men in the group was overhead to say that he was planning to knock a few faggots around before he left. This same man then got up and smacked another patron to the ground. The couples were removed from the bar, shouting anti-gay epithets as they left. The police were called but did not respond. October 3, 1994 Harrisonburg A male freshman's dorm room was searched by unknown individuals. Baby and young adult pictures of the freshman were stolen. Later that day, flyers appeared around campus with the victims pictures and a caption reading "this is a faggot", and "it's time to come out of the closet." The incident was reported to school authorities. September 19, 1994 Richmond Call received on the toll free Virginians For Justice Hate Crimes Reporting Line. The caller used anti- gay epithets and stated that he and his friends were making pipe bombs and planned to deliver them to the VJ office. The police were called and a report taken, but no charges have been filed. July 20, 1994 Arlington A white male followed the victim, a white gay male, for several blocks. The perpetrator spent several minutes alongside the victims care, yelling anti-gay statements. At one point the perpetrator indicated that the victim should be shot for spreading AIDS. The victim finally was able to out maneuver the vehicle. The police were notified. July 10, 1994 Richmond The victims rainbow flag was removed from his porch on July 7, 1994. The flag was returned to his doorstep, after having been burned, on July 10. The police were notified and a report taken. June 6, 1994 Richmond Call received on the toll free Virginians For Justice line. Male stated his name was faggot killer and that the office would be fire bombed within three weeks. The police were notified, a report taken and the number traced. No charges have been filed. January 1, 1994 Richmond At his place of employment, victim was subjected to insulting language by two male patrons, including, "You could have smelled that faggot from a mile away." Victim received apologies from the males' female companions, but when the men returned, victim was told to stay away from them as they left. February, 1994 Crystal City At her place of employment, victim received, on two successive days, a note and a floppy diskette containing anti-gay language and threats that her sexual orientation and that of "your friends" would be revealed to upper management; victim and other gay and lesbian employees hold security clearances. The incidents were reported to management and she has received assurances that when the perpetrator is found, s/he will be terminated. April 26, 1994 Manassas The following message was left on the victim's answering machine: "You suck donkey dick (pause) through a garden hose." No charges have been filed. July 7, 1994 Richmond A rainbow flag was stolen from the outside of the victim's house. It was found on his front porch July 10, 1994, having been burned in the interim. September 16, 1994 Burke A white man told his granddaughter not to talk to the "queers" next door, referring to his heterosexual neighbor. Victim heard the remark and objected to the perpetrator, who threatened violence. Police were called and a report taken; no arrests have been made. May 6, 1994 Norfolk 6 to 8 young white males assaulted the victim, calling him faggot and stating that fags should be killed. Police were not notified because of fear on the part of the victim. September 29, 1994 Charlottesville A student at the University of Virginia received three anti-gay messages on his answering machine, including one in which he was called a "pink triangle freak" and two in which comments were made regarding oral sex and gay sex. A police report was filed; no arrests have been made. October 11, 1994 Harrisonburg An openly gay resident assistant returned to his dormitory room to find a flyer stating, "Take note. October 12 is National Return to the Closet Day. You and your lover can return to being quiet homos." Victim reported the incident to JMU authorities. VIRGINIANS FOR JUSTICE 1994 HATE CRIMES REPORT STATISTICAL SUMMARY NUMBER OF CALLS: 39 NUMBER OF VALID REPORTS: 30 REPORTS WITHOUT CALLS: 8 REPORTS NOT RETURNED: 16 TALLY OF 1994 OFFENSES Harassment 19 Threats/Menacing 14 Bomb Threats 2 Physical Assault 5 Police Abuse 1 Vandalism 6 Murder 4 TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFENSES: 51 TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS: 30 TOTAL DOCUMENTED BY POLICE: 11 30% of all incidents included VIOLENCE 13% of all incidents included MURDER 63% of all incidents included VERBAL HARASSMENT 47% of all incidents included THREATS TIMES OF INCIDENTS: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 0 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. 3 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 6 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. 5 12 a.m. - 8 a.m. 8 Unknown 8 Total 30 DAY OF INCIDENTS: Monday 5 Tuesday 3 Wednesday 3 Thursday 3 Friday 4 Saturday 5 Sunday 1 Unknown 6 Total 30 GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS: Northern Virginia 8 27% Richmond 6 20% Radford 5 17% Tidewater 3 10% Other 3 10% Reporting Line 3 10% Roanoke 1 3% Charlottesville 1 3% LOCATIONS: Business 7 23% Home 7 23% School 7 23% Telephone 3 10% Street 2 7% Park 2 7% Bar 2 7% VICTIM PROFILES GENDER: WOMEN 6 MEN 17 UNKNOWN/ORGANIZATION 9 Total 32 RACE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN 1 LATINA/O 3 WHITE/CAUCASIAN 15 UNKNOWN/ORGANIZATION 13 Total 32 AGE: UNDER 18 1 18 TO 29 8 30 TO 44 8 45 TO 64 2 UNKNOWN/ORGANIZATION 13 Total 32 PERPETRATOR PROFILES NUMBER PER INCIDENT: 1 11 2-3 2 4-9 4 UNKNOWN 13 Total 30 RACE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN 5 WHITE/CAUCASIAN 20 UNKNOWN 18 Total 43 AGE: UNDER 18 4 18 TO 29 16 30 TO 44 1 45 TO 64 3 UNKNOWN 19 Total 43 Conclusion 1994's incidents of anti-lesbian and anti-gay violence must be viewed within the context of a growing climate of intolerance and hate in both the public and private sectors. Harassment and violence against immigrants and persons of color has soared in California since the passage of Proposition 187. Anti-semitic incidents reached an all time high in 1994 according to the Anti-Defamation League. Violence at abortion clinics increased as well. The citizens of the Commonwealth can stop this trend by demanding that public officials take note of the increasing spread of hate violence and take action against it. Specifically, citizens need to demand: legislation that increases criminal penalties for hate motivated offenses that will include sexual orientation and gender. increased funding available to local victim assistance programs. legislation that prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation. Although apparently few in numbers, the widespread incidence of hate violence, and the increasing severity of that violence, indicates a growing need for government and community response. In a state such as Virginia in which freedom and justice is so much a part of its rich history and tradition, there can be zero toleration of hate crimes against any one group of its citizens. Such a crime against even one individual is too much to simply accept and let pass by.