Law to protect gays, lesbians

GAYS, LESBIANS and transvestites will be protected under domestic violence legislation.

Minister of Family, Youth and Sports, Esther Byer-Suckoo gave this assurance during yesterday's public outreach activity at Cave Shepherd's, Broad Street, marking the International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women and recognition of the 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign.

Byer-Suckoo said domestic violence was complex and involved heterosexual men and transvestites, people operating outside traditionally assigned gender roles, and the matter boiled down to human rights.

"The law is there to protect all of us when our human rights have been infringed, but still we find that domestic violence isn't treated as a serious enough crime," she said.

"We realise there's not only violence against women but also violence against men and then also those persons who are transgender are also subjected to serious violence.

"Regardless of our personal views towards transgenders, it's about respect for a person's life," she said.

"In preparing the legislation one thing we are aware of is that legislation cannot be gender-biased; that is a case for all the legislation the Ministry of Family is addressing. It can no longer be gender-biased."

"We have to take into account the realities of the situation. Right now we have seen violence, with men against men in homosexual relationships, women against women [and other] transgender issues.

"The law has to protect all its citizens. If we're amending legislation or drafting new legislation we have to take into consideration the nuances of the environment in which we live today," Byer-Suckoo said, condemning homophobic violence.

Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, John Hollingsworth, agreed that very few homosexuals and transvestites came out to report incidents of domestic violence as they were doubly stigmatised as being gay and battered. (MS)