A Colombian student, Hector Enrique Valencia Valencia, has been found not guilty of murder in the death of transgender sex worker, Kimberley McRae, in Coogee, New South Wales, Australia, in January 2020. The 23-year-old student had paid McRae $100 for oral sex and became “suspicious” about her gender after receiving sexual services for about five to ten minutes. Valencia told the court that he punched McRae when he realized she was trans, and they wrestled over a lamp, which he eventually used to strangle her by pressing the cord onto her neck for “a few seconds.”
Valencia claimed throughout the trial that he did not intend to kill McRae, and Justice Dina Yehia found him not guilty of murder, stating that the prosecution had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Valencia intended to either kill or cause serious harm to McRae. However, the former business student had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter and will face sentence proceedings in May.
The case has sparked outrage among LGBTQ advocates, who argue that it highlights the ongoing violence and discrimination faced by transgender individuals. According to a report by the Human Rights Campaign, at least 44 transgender or gender non-conforming people were violently killed in the United States in 2020, making it the deadliest year on record for the community. The report also notes that transgender individuals are disproportionately affected by poverty, homelessness, and unemployment, which can contribute to their vulnerability to violence.
The verdict in Valencia’s trial raises questions about the justice system’s ability to protect transgender individuals from violence and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. LGBTQ advocates are calling for greater awareness and education around trans issues and for the government to take stronger action to prevent violence against transgender individuals.
