It's love

Sandy” had a common experience: She is a 35 year-old transgender woman from Mexico who arrived in the United States in her twenties. In her hometown, she had been ridiculed for her gender identity, and she was beaten and severely bullied most of her life. Like many of her peers, Sandy dreamed of a life where she would be safe and accepted, and she looked for that life in New York City. Once she was in New York, Sandy suffered an abusive arrest for prostitution and sought our help. As she talked about her immigration experience, it became clear she was a survivor of human trafficking. In Mexico, she had been unsure about how she could move to the United States with little money and no family support. Ultimately, she was approached by an older man, seduced, and brought to New York City, supposedly, to be his girlfriend. But once they were in New York, he quickly used violence and threats to force her into prostitution, and he took the money she earned. She escaped after a year of this sustained abuse. As is typical for many trafficked persons, Sandy was reluctant to tell us her story, as she was convinced we would not believe her… Lack of social power and political voice make immigrant transwomen of color vulnerable to police violence in a city where police violence is rampant. Transwomen sex workers, and transwomen incorrectly profiled as sex workers, have likely been improperly arrested at some point in their lives. In this context, there is no opportunity for law enforcement and victim to have a discussion about her life. There is no common ground or trust. Even though the police are supposed to come to the aid of crime victims, these victims are rendered so invisible by bias and discrimination that they have no chance of being identified.