Anna Foster, 20, was allegedly assaulted in South Carolina, US, while a police officer watched and “refused” to help her. (Facebook)
A 20-year-old trans woman was attacked by three men and her body left bleeding and covered in bruises, all the while a police officer stood by and allegedly did nothing.
Anna Foster claimed she was walking alone in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, in the early morning last week when the group approached her, tossed transphobic slurs at her and brutally beat her.
Local police confirmed they are investigating the incident after Foster uploaded pictures of her injuries on a since viral Facebook post.
Trans woman attacked: ‘What f***ing world do we live in and why don’t I have rights?’
According to Foster and a Charleston Police Department report, the victim was approached by three men on October 17 between 2am and 3am.
She was on the corner of Meeting and Calhoun Street in the peninsula neighbourhood, the report stated, when the men called her derogatory names and assaulted her.
Last night at approximately 2-3 am I was attacked and beaten for being a trans woman downtown Charleston. All while a…
Posted by Anna Foster on Thursday, October 17, 2019
But as the attack took place, which left Foster’s body blotched with bruises, a Charleston cop watched and “refused” to help Foster, she claimed.
Detectives contacted Foster after the post went viral to gather information and launched an investigation, ABC News reported.
However, the department did not comment on the officer who allegedly witnessed the attack and did nothing.
“What f***ing world do we live in and why don’t I have rights?” she said on the post.
“I DESERVE JUSTICE AND I WILL GET IT.”
After Foster’s Facebook post – which has been shared more than 1,200 times – a banner was draped over the Medical University of South Carolina parking garage which read: “Arm Trans People, F**k the CPD [Charleston Police Department].”
Colleen Condon, the board president for the Alliance for Full Acceptance — a local queer advocacy group — said she saw an image of the banner and reached out to Foster and law enforcement to assist with the case.
Condon told ABC 4 News: “It can be scary to file a police report.
“The fear of not being believed, the fear of not being respected, not being listened to, those are all very valid fears.
“That’s why we’ve offered her and certainly offer any member of our community help.”
PinkNews has contact Charleston Police Department for comment.
Anti-trans violence is rocketing in the US.
Foster’s alleged assault is the latest in a tirade of violence against one of the most marginalised and vulnerable communities in the US.
At least 21 trans people have been killed across the country. A spree of brutality that trans activists have labeled an “epidemic”.
However, these numbers understate the problem, activists warn.
Local officials are not required to report killings to central databases in the US, and as authorities may misgender (as they initially did with Marlowe) many trans people’s deaths may go unreported.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) issued a damning statement after Marlowe’s death was confirmed by state police.
“These victims are not numbers,” the statement read, “they were people with hopes and plans, dreams for the future, loved ones and communities who will miss them every day.”