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

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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.