The Project
The Transgender Anti-Violence Project is an initiative started in 2011 which aims to provide education, support, referrals and advocacy in relation to violence and oppression based on gender identity.
Among the many objectives of the Transgender Anti-Violence Project (T.A.V.P.) are to:
- provide increased reporting of violence by transgender and gender-diverse people;
- provide support and referrals to transgender and gender-diverse people;
- create improved awareness among transgender and gender-diverse people about the nature of bias-motivated crimes and suggest options that are available for reporting;
- provide increased capacity of police and support services to assist transgender and gender-diverse people who have experienced violence because of their gender-identity;
- provide increased data on the nature and extent of violence against transgender and gender-diverse people;
- provide an improved relationship between the transgender and gender-diverse communities, the N.S.W. Police Force and the criminal justice system; and to
- increase awareness in the general community about violence against the transgender and gender-diverse communities.
The Transgender Anti-Violence Project itself is located at the Gender Centre, 41-43 Parramatta Road, Annandale in Sydney's inner-west however we can also provide telephone support and outreach services to people within New South Wales but outside of the Sydney metropolitan area.
The type of assistance that a Transgender Anti-Violence Project worker can provide to those experiencing ant-transgender violence includes counselling, assistance and support when reporting the violence, follow-up support, advocacy, assistance in organising legal support, support if appearing in court, appropriate medical support and referrals to any other service necessary.
When Transphobia Occurs
If you are being harassed, assaulted or attacked, get support and tell the police.
Go to a police station and if possible, take a T.A.V.P. support worker with you. If you are alone, you can ask the police to contact the T.A.V.P. support staff during business hours on (02) 9519 7599. If you are in need of help out of business hours, ask the police to call the T.A.V.P. out of hours emergency number (they will have it) so that an advocate can offer you support.
Your support worker will initially ascertain the nature and level of support that you require.
The support worker is there to guide and support you through the entire process of reporting to the police or to the T.A.V.P.
The reporting process
If you want to report violence to the police you can call triple zero, attend a police station or have police come to you, or you can call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
The police will ask you some questions and ask you for a statement. If you are interviewed in person they may take photographs. They may also ask you whether you are prepared to appear in court if necessary.
A T.A.V.P. support worker can accompany you to the police station if you require support, and can assist you throughout the reporting process. You will need to sign a release of information document so that the support worker can advocate and work on your behalf.
If a support worker accompanies you to report to the police they will make a note of the time that you reported to police, the name of the police officer taking the report and what information regarding the incident was supplied to you. You should ask the police to give you an event number for future reference. This event number will be used when you contact the police for follow-ups.
If you don't wish to report to the police you can just report to the T.A.V.P. The information that you supply will be de-identified and used only with your permission for statistical and research purposes.
It is also possible to report Anti-Transgender Violence through the T.A.V.P. website.
