UVA Student and Friend Assaulted in Anti-Gay Hate Crime

I am a bit surprised to learn of the anti-gay hate crime that occurred on the University of Virginia grounds on April 4, 2009, especially since the boyfriend and I were in Charlottesville on Sunday the 5th. Charlottesville is among the most liberal cities in Virginia - due largely to the influence of the University and the many New Yorkers and Hollywood set that own in surrounding Albemarle County. On the other hand, the University does have its share of far right Southern students and there remain less than savory elements within parts of the city. While I do not recall the exact date, within the last year a patron leaving 216, a gay after hours club in downtown Charlottesville was beaten while leaving the club. At the time the attack seemed motivated by anti-gay animus. Nonetheless, it is upsetting to hear of this type of incident at the University. Here are some highlights from the Daily Progress:

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A University of Virginia student and a visiting friend were violently assaulted April 4 in what UVa officials are describing as a “bias-motivated crime.” The student and his guest were attacked without warning at around 3 a.m. by five males who uttered several homophobic slurs, according to a statement sent out late Friday to the university community by UVa Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Allen W. Groves.

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“Based upon the facts as we currently know them, we believe this to be a bias-motivated crime, in that the perceived sexual orientation of the two victims appears to have motivated the assault,” Groves said in the statement. . . . No arrests have yet been made in the incident, though the UVa Police Department is investigating, said Lt. Melissa Fielding. “It’s an open, active investigation,” she said. “We would encourage anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers or University Police.”

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As Toweleroad correctly notes, the hate crimes statute in Virginia affords no protection for violent crimes based on the victim's sexual orientation thanks to the efforts of Daddy Dobson's Virginia affiliate, The Family Foundation, and the GOP controlled House of Delegates. With numerous anti-gay judges still on the bench (Norfolk certainly has its share), the overall atmosphere even in more progressive parts of Virginia is often less than safe for LGBT citizens. As I recently stated at a hearing at Hampton City hall concerning the proposed addition of non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation to the City's human resource policy, my advice to those considering moving to Virginia from more progressive states is to not move to Virginia. The University of Virginia's Honor Code, however, would provide for the addition penalty of expulsion of any students perpetrating such a crime on top of the normal crimianl penalties for violent assault.