Transsexual woman brutally attacked in Trinidad, Colorado

August 14, 7:55 AMTransgender & Transsexual Issues ExaminerMatt Kailey

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A 25-year-old transsexual woman is reported to have been physically and sexually assaulted in a hotel room in Trinidad, Colorado, on July 15.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports that police were called to the Trinidad Motor Inn to investigate a call about a female party who was found in a room unclothed, injured, and bound at the feet and hands. The woman had also been sexually assaulted with a wooden coat hanger.

According to the police report obtained by the Chieftain, the attacker saw the woman in the lobby of the hotel and followed her back to her room. She did not let him in, but he later returned and forced his way in, sexually assaulted her, then tried to drown her in the bathtub and electrocute her by dropping a hair dryer into the bathtub.

The victim reported that the attacker used anti-gay slurs as he attacked her.

A follow-up report by the Chieftain says that no arrests have been made in the case. The victim was reportedly not a resident of Trinidad, but was there to consult with Dr. Marci Bowers about surgery. Bowers took over a popular surgical practice in Trinidad after the death of Dr. Stanley Biber, who was considered a pioneer in surgical procedures for transsexual people. The Chieftain reports that violence against trans people is rare in Trinidad, which has a larger-than-usual trans population for its size and sees a great many trans people every year who come to town for surgical consultations and procedures.

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) has been in contact with the Trinidad Police Department and is monitoring the case.

The brutality of this type of crime is what sets it apart from crimes involving robbery or crimes of passion. As with the Angie Zapata murder in Greeley, Colorado, the extensive brutality and violence that was reported to be involved in this attack is indicative of rage and hatred directed at a specific group of people.

The use of anti-gay slurs throughout the attack, as reported by the victim, also indicates that the victim was targeted because she is a trans woman, CAVP's Crystal Middlestadt told the Chieftain. Trans women are particularly vulnerable to this type of violent attack and are often subjected to anti-gay verbal attacks.

It is unclear whether or not a hate crimes charge will be filed when an arrest is made, but District Attorney Frank Ruybalid told the Chieftain, "Just generally from what I have read, his motivation is in fact animosity against the victim because of her transgender status. That would fall within the statute of a hate crime."

Colorado does have a hate crimes statute that covers transgender people. Allen Andrade was convicted of first-degree murder and a hate crime earlier this year in the slaying of Angie Zapata. His conviction was believed to be the first time in the United States that a hate crimes verdict has been returned in the murder of a trans person.