Students at the Undergraduate Diversity Policy Clinic at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Sao Paulo Law School recently carried out a study of policies to tackle LGBTphobia in Brazil and abroad, based on data about violence and direct contact with public and private sector stakeholders, as well representatives of organized civil society who are committed to the fight against LGBTphobia. The study resulted in a report and police protocol to aid the formulation of public policies to combat LGBTphobic violence. This protocol was produced in partnership with the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals (ANTRA), the Brazilian Association of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transvestites, Transexuals and Intersex People (ABGLT) and the National Network of LGBTI+ Public Security Professionals (RENOSP).

Among other information, the protocol sets out basic principles for applying the protocol, assisting police action and avoiding discriminatory situations that could further violate victims of LGBTphobia, as well as how the police ought to act in a non-discriminatory way. It explains that the best approach is to always respect the self-declaration of the person in question.

The protocol also addresses crime reporting and recommends using non-violent communication practices in this process. This includes three core elements: listening, asking and being present. Finally, it discusses ways of dealing with cases of LGBTphobia. LGBTphobic behavior means harassing and rejecting people who do not conform to social and cultural predetermined gender roles for their so-called biological sex. Thus, cases of LGBTphobia entail rejection, fear, prejudice, discrimination, aversion, hatred and/or violence, of an individual or collective nature, against the LGBTQIA+ population. The proper procedure in these cases consists of four phases: care and reception; victim orientation; criminal proceedings and conclusion of the investigation; and monitoring of occurrences.

The study’s results are available here.