An Exploration of Police Interactions with Trans Feminine People within the UK

这个研究项目旨在探索跨性别者和英国警察之间的互动，在跨性别者作为跨性别仇恨犯罪的受害者的背景下。利用定性方法，本研究回应了学术界进一步探索这一领域的呼吁（Perry和Dyck, 2014； Chakraborti和Hardy， 2015）。先前的研究表明，跨性别女性与警察之间的互动往往会强化异性恋规范，从而劝阻他们与警察接触（Miles-Johnson, 2016）。虽然美国和澳大利亚的研究已经观察到跨性别者和警察之间令人担忧的关系（Dwyer, 2012; Miles-Johnson, 2015），但在英国的研究是有限的。然而，基于英国对LGBT样本的研究指出，跨性别参与者对警察的不信任和不确定性（Chakraborti和Hardy, 2015; Antjoule, 2016）。此外，跨性别者对警察知识的差距表示担忧，声称一线警察不了解他们的具体需求（Chakraborti和Hardy， 2015）。值得注意的是，观察到变性仇恨犯罪的代表性不足（Chakraborti和Hardy， 2015）。这就提出了关于刑事司法系统对跨性别仇恨犯罪受害者的可及性的问题，支持有必要进一步探索警察与受害者的互动。拟议的研究将填补这一空白，并在此过程中，将使人们更好地了解受害者在报告其受害时面临的障碍。在现有的有限的研究中，跨性别者的经历仍然被纳入更广泛的LGBT社区（Chakraborti和Hardy, 2015； Ellis等人，2016）。尽管最近酷儿犯罪学的研究试图解决这个问题，（Perry and Dyck, 2014; Buist and Lenning, 2015）变性人的声音仍然明显缺失，这需要纠正。因此，我的目标是通过酷儿犯罪学的视角来应用基于英国的叙事，将其背景化，并进一步发展对英国警方跨性别互动的知识和理解。尽管研究有限，但学者们强调了对跨性别女性人群安全的日益关注，注意到跨性别女性与跨性别男性相比，受害程度存在差异（Turner et al ., 2009; Ellis et al ., 2016），并且不愿与警察接触。研究人员对性别和性别多样性的可见迹象可能对与警察的互动产生负面影响表示担忧（Dwyer, 2012; Miles- Johnson 2016）。因此，这项研究的一个重要组成部分是进一步了解性别不一致可能影响与警察互动的方式，从而为这一犯罪学领域的发展作出重大贡献。该研究还将研究警察培训，以回应对培训的态度是轻蔑的，并加强了对性别表现的异性恋期望的报道（Miles-Johnson, 2016）。通过批判性地探索当前的警察实践，我的目标是为警察政策和实践提供信息，并最终改善仇恨犯罪的跨性别受害者的经历。

This research project aims to explore interactions between trans feminine people and police in the UK, within the context of trans feminine people as victims of transphobic hate crime. Utilising a qualitative approach, this research responds to calls from academics to further explore this area (Perry and Dyck, 2014; Chakraborti and Hardy, 2015). Previous research suggests interactions between trans feminine people and police are often reinforce heteronormativity, thus dissuading engagement with police (Miles-Johnson, 2016). While research within the US and Australia has observed a fraught relationship between transfeminine people and the police (Dwyer, 2012; Miles-Johnson, 2015), research within the UK is limited. However, UK based research on LGBT samples has noted mistrust and uncertainty towards police among transgender participants (Chakraborti and Hardy, 2015; Antjoule, 2016). Additionally, transgender individuals have expressed concerns regarding gaps in police knowledge, claiming frontline police were unaware of their specific needs (Chakraborti and Hardy, 2015). Notably, an underrepresentation of transphobic hate crime was observed (Chakraborti and Hardy, 2015). This raises questions regarding the accessibility of the criminal justice system for victims of transphobic hate crime, supporting the need for further exploration of police interactions with victims. The research proposed will fill this gap, and in doing so, will provide a greater understanding of the barrier's victims face in reporting their victimisation. Within the existing, limited research, the experiences of transgender individuals remain subsumed within those of the wider LGBT community (Chakraborti and Hardy, 2015; Ellis et al, 2016). Although recent contributions within queer criminology have sought to address this, (Perry and Dyck, 2014; Buist and Lenning, 2015) transgender voices remain notably absent, which requires redressing. Therefore, I aim to apply a UK based narrative through the lens of queer criminology, contextualising and further developing knowledge and understanding of trans-specific interactions with police within the UK. Despite limited research, academics have highlighted increasing concern for the safety of trans feminine people, noting a disparity in the victimisation of trans feminine people when compared with their trans masculine counterparts (Turner et al, 2009; Ellis et al, 2016), and a reluctance to engage with the police. Researchers have expressed concerns regarding the potential for visible signs of gender and sexual diversity to negatively influence interactions with police (Dwyer, 2012; Miles- Johnson 2016). Therefore, an important component of this research is developing a greater understanding of the ways in which gender non-conformity may influence interactions with police, thus making a significant contribution to the development of this area of criminology. The research will also examine police training, responding to reports that attitudes towards training are dismissive and reinforce heteronormative expectations of gender presentation (Miles-Johnson, 2016). Through critically exploring current police practice, I aim to inform police policy and practice and ultimately improve the experiences of transfeminine victims of hate crime.