TAVP Partners

What is the Transgender Anti-Violence Project?

The Transgender Anti-Violence Project (TAVP) is a project run by the Gender Centre. The Gender Centre is a non-government organisation (funded by the NSW Department of Human Services, Community Services under the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program and Sydney South West Area Health Service) and an incorporated association.

We are committed to developing and providing services and activities which enhance the ability of people with gender issues to make informed choices. We offer a wide range of services to people with gender issues, their partners, family members and friends in New South Wales. We specifically aim to provide a high quality service, which acknowledges human rights and ensures respect and confidentiality.

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 project addresses all forms of violence that impact on the transgender and gender-questioning community, including (but not limited to) physical violence, verbal abuse and threats, sexual assaults, stalking, anti-transgender harassment, domestic violence, family violence and hate crimes.

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.

TAVP Mission

The TAVP provides free, confidential services to support people affected by transphobia or transgender people experiencing violence or abuse.

The mission of the Transgender Anti-Violence Project is to provide education, support, referrals and advocacy in relation to violence and oppression based on gender identity.

This project addresses all forms of violence that impact on the transgender and gender-questioning community, including (but not limited to) domestic violence, sexual violence, anti- transgender harassment and hate crimes.

Objectives

  • Increased reporting of violence by transgender and gender- questioning people
  • Providing support and referrals to transgender and gender-diverse people
  • Creating improved awareness among transgender and gender- questioning people about the nature of bias-motivated crimes and suggesting options available for reporting
  • Increased capacity of police and support services to assist transgender and gender-questioning people who have experienced violence because they are transgendered
  • Increased data on the nature and extent of violence against transgender and gender-questioning people
  • Improved relationship between the transgender and gender- questioning communities, the NSW Police Force and the criminal justice system
  • Increased awareness in the general community about violence against the transgender and gender-questioning communities.

The TAVP steering committee

The Transgender Anti-Violence Project (TAVP) Steering Committee is made up of representatives of organisations directly concerned with supporting victims of violence within the transgender community. This committee oversees and provides guidance to the TAVP.

Roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee

  • Define approaches and priorities of the TAVP
  • Provide advice to the Gender Centre on the operation of the TAVP
  • Identify significant issues and areas of risk for the TAVP
  • Provide support to the TAVP

Members of the Steering Committee

  • The Gender Centre
  • NSW Police Force
  • City of Sydney
  • Inner City Legal Centre

What does the TAVP support staff do?

Your support worker will initially ascertain the nature and level of support that you require to help you to a successful outcome.

Supports services available to you include:

  • Help reporting to the police
  • Ongoing support and advocacy
  • Access to legal support
  • Court support
  • Organising counselling
  • Helping you get medical assistance
  • Referrals to other organisations
  • Advocating on your behalf

The support worker is there to guide and support you through the entire process of reporting to the police or to the TAVP. Any or all of these avenues might feel right for you, but after you report an incident to the TAVP, you are not required to take any further action that you dont feel comfortable with. Your experiences mean your decisions, and the TAVP support staff is here to help you access whatever support you might need.

What is transphobia?

Transphobia refers to discrimination, prejudice, violence or harassment that is perpetrated on a person because of their transgender, gender questioning or gender diverse identity and/or expression.

It is a crime under NSW anti-discrimination law. The Gender Centre’s Legal Resources page provides a number of articles about discrimination based on transgender and gender questioning issues.

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.

Is it my fault?

Absolutely not! Any kind of violence, harassment or discrimination you experience based on your transgender status is never your fault, and there are a number of avenues by which you can report incidents and receive support.

What is violence? What can I report to the TAVP?

You can report anything to the TAVP. Below are some examples:

  • Physical assaults
  • Verbal abuse and threats
  • Emotional or psychological abuse
  • Sexual assaults
  • Stalking and harassment
  • Domestic violence
  • Family violence
  • Online abuse and cyber bullying
  • Bullying at work or school
  • Destroying your belongings or threatening to harm your pets
  • A partner or carer restricting your access to money, socially isolating you or preventing you from seeing your family or friends
  • Having your testosterone, HRT or HIV medication taken away from you
  • Outing, or threatening to out, trans* or HIV status against your will
  • Any acts that you believe to be transphobic

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.

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.

Resources

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