Homotransphobia and intersectional violence based on complaints to the police in the State of Sergipe, Brazil (2015-2018)

Abstract

This article is the result of original research using the analytical tool of intersectionality in relation to cases of violence against sexual and gender diversity, recorded through police reports (B.O) filed in police stations of the Sergipe Public SafetySecretariat (SSP/SE) in Brazil between 2015 and 2018. The mapping was carried out on the SSP/SE intranet system using 32 keywords that served as search sources, with 305 police reports found that contained accusations of homophobic, transphobic and homotransphobic motivations. The methodological approach was based on a qualitative-quantitative, descriptive and documentary analysis and on authors who discuss homotransphobic violence, public safety and sexual and gender diversity. The results show that the majority of the complaints analyzed fit into nine different types of intersectional oppression: ageism, aporophobia, fatphobia, prejudice against people with disabilities, racism, sexism, serophobia and xenophobia. In some cases, more than one type of oppression was present, and most of the situations of violence reported were recurrent, causing serious consequences for victims and non-victims, and affecting all social agents, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual characteristics and/or gender expressions. This reality emphasizes the social nature of homotransphobia, as well as the need for society as a whole to actively engage in the process of preventing and combating all forms of oppression.