US Embassy wants full investigation into attack on transgender woman in Bahamas

The United States says it expects Bahamian authorities to conduct a “full investigation” into the attack on a 26 year-old transgender woman at a club last weekend.

Her attorney, Mark Rolle Symonette said the American woman, China Diamond, 26, claimed she was attacked by five or six men last Saturday in what she called a “hate crime”. He said his client was stomped and had her wig torn off her head. He said she was beaten “black and blue”.

In a brief statement, the US Embassy  said it expects the matter to be fully investigated.

“No person, regardless of their gender identity should fear for their safety in The Bahamas. The US embassy expects a full investigation in accordance with the law,” it said.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis in condemning the incident, told reporters that violence in any form will not be tolerated in the country.

“So far as the single incident is concerned. I want to express my concern to the victim and let that person know that we would be supporting her in whichever way we can to help her through that traumatic experience,” he said, adding “the perpetrator ought to be held to account”.

Prime Minister Davis said while the incident is worrying, he does not believe it will negatively affect the country’s tourism industry, describing it as “a single incident.

“This is not the norm as we all know in this country.It’s a singular incident that is not consistent with the conduct of our Bahamian people, particularly towards our visitors and guests, so I don’t expect this to have any negative impact anywhere.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux said the woman has since left the country.

“I have ordered a full and immediate investigation to get to the bottom of this matter. Again, we do not condone disrespecting any human being. We fully support human rights,” he said, adding “wherever the investigation takes us, it goes, so obviously that would mean seeing the persons concerned”.

In a Facebook page earlier this week, transgender activist Alexus D’Marco said  ‘every year, trans, intersex and other gender non-conforming individuals experience violence at the hands of individuals who wilfully ignore the fact that all individuals in any jurisdiction have rights and freedoms, chief among which are the right not to be discriminated on the basis of who they are–– that includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and to be free from violence.”

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