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

本研究项目旨在探讨跨性别者与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，这项研究响应了学术界进一步探索这一领域的呼吁（佩里和戴克，2014;查克拉博蒂和哈代，2015）。以前的研究表明，跨性别者和警察之间的互动往往会加强异性恋，从而劝阻与警察的接触（迈尔斯-约翰逊，2016）。虽然美国和澳大利亚的研究观察到变性人和警察之间的关系令人担忧（Dwyer，2012; Miles-Johnson，2015），但英国的研究有限。然而，英国对LGBT样本的研究注意到跨性别参与者对警察的不信任和不确定性（Chakraborti和哈代，2015; Antjoule，2016）。此外，变性人对警察知识的差距表示关切，声称一线警察不了解他们的具体需求（Chakraborti和哈代，2015年）。值得注意的是，跨性别仇恨犯罪的代表性不足（Chakraborti和哈代，2015年）。这就提出了关于仇视变性者的仇恨犯罪的受害者能否诉诸刑事司法系统的问题，从而支持了进一步探讨警察与受害者互动的必要性。拟议的研究将填补这一空白，并在这样做的过程中，将提供一个更好的了解障碍的受害者面临的报告他们的重新安置。在现有的有限研究中，跨性别者的经历仍然包含在更广泛的LGBT群体中（Chakraborti和哈代，2015; Ellis等人，2016）。尽管酷儿犯罪学最近的贡献试图解决这个问题，（佩里和戴克，2014年; Buist和Lenning，2015年）跨性别的声音仍然明显缺席，这需要纠正。因此，我的目标是通过酷儿犯罪学的透镜，运用基于英国的叙事，语境化和进一步发展知识和理解跨特定的互动与英国警方。尽管研究有限，但学者们强调了对跨性别者安全的日益关注，并注意到跨性别者与跨性别者相比，在性别上存在差异（Turner et al，2009; Ellis et al，2016），并且不愿意与警方接触。研究人员对性别和性多样性的明显迹象可能对与警察的互动产生负面影响表示担忧（Dwyer，2012; Miles-约翰逊2016）。因此，这项研究的一个重要组成部分是更好地了解性别不一致可能影响与警察互动的方式，从而为犯罪学这一领域的发展做出重大贡献。该研究还将审查警察培训，回应有关对培训的态度不屑一顾的报告，并加强了对性别介绍的异性恋期望（Miles-Johnson，2016）。通过批判性地探索当前的警察实践，我的目标是告知警察政策和实践，并最终改善仇恨犯罪的跨女性受害者的经验。

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.