Washington — The Human Rights Campaign released the following statement in response to an alleged brutal attack against a lesbian in Lincoln, Nebraska, during which home invaders bound the victim, carved anti-LGBT slurs into her skin, and set her house on fire.
"The accounts of the violence inflicted upon this woman are truly horrific," said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. "We have confidence that the Lincoln Police Department will thoroughly investigate this crime and take swift and appropriate action to bring the perpetrators to justice. No one should ever have to live in fear simply because of who they are. Our thoughts are with the victim and we wish her a full recovery. This act of violence is a jarring reminder that we have much work to do in creating environments where all members of our community feel safe living honestly and openly, and where crimes motivated by one's sexual orientation or gender identity are never tolerated."
Nebraska has a hate crimes statute that covers crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation. Federal authorities also may have jurisdiction over the crime as a result of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
HRC is alerting both the FBI and the Justice Department to this crime.
Lincoln, Nebraska, woman survives brutal hate crime, community responds
FROM A ONE IOWA NEWS RELEASE
Des Moines, IA—Over the weekend, a woman in Lincoln, Nebraska, was viciously attacked by three masked intruders who broke into her home, tied her up, mutilated her, and then lit her house on fire—all while yelling brutal anti-gay slurs. According to reports, one of the attackers carved a homophobic phrase into her skin. The woman escaped the fire and ran to a nearby house where she called for help.
Citizens in Lincoln and beyond have planned vigils in the wake of this horrific incident and are calling upon the community to come together in support of the LGBT community.
Statement from One Iowa Executive Director Donna Red Wing:
"This past Sunday, hundreds of people gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, at a vigil for a woman who had been brutalized in a bias-motivated attack. We grieve for this woman, a survivor of senseless violence, and we grieve for our community. While we continue to move forward, as equality becomes more of a reality, we sadly realize that there are those who will respond with violence and intolerance. And this unthinkable and cruel tragedy is a very painful reminder of how much work we have ahead of us in the fight for full equality.
On a daily basis, we work towards a society that embraces and celebrates diversity. We work for equality in our laws, in our communities, and in the hearts and minds of our neighbors. But today we will stop for a moment and think about a woman targeted and brutalized simply because of who she is, and because a group of men decided that she would be the focus of their fear and their rage.
Our thoughts and prayers are with this woman and with her family and friends. We hope that she will recover from her wounds and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice."
