By Lucas Gutiérrez. On Sunday the 25th, in the early morning, Xoaquín López (29) was attacked. It happened in the San Francisco Solano area of ​​Quilmes, Buenos Aires province. He was beaten because of homophobia. This is not the first time Xoaquín has been attacked. “Enough with homophobia, enough with intolerance,” López said in a video he uploaded to his social media denouncing the attack. “I accompanied my husband to catch the bus on Donato Álvarez Avenue. He got on the bus, and I went to the kiosk at the corner of Donato and 840th Street. There, this woman appeared with her cousin and a man who I don't know if he's her brother or her partner. When I saw them, I tried to cross the street, but I didn't have time; he blocked my path and grabbed me by the neck,” Xoaquín told Presentes. He recounted that while they watched and the man hit him, they hurled all sorts of insults at him, but especially: “This is what you get for being a faggot.” Xoaquín said it wasn't the first time this woman, surnamed Molina, and her acquaintances had assaulted him. “She had me by the neck, she cut off my air, and I couldn't breathe. When I tried to get away, she punched me really hard in the mouth, and that's when I fell to the ground and my head hit the asphalt,” he explained to this news outlet.

 

Without 911 help

Xoaquín returned to the kiosk asking for help because he was unsteady from dizziness. When he got home, he called 911: “The woman who answered was very arrogant. She said she was going to send a patrol car, but when I hung up, I realized she hadn't even asked for my information or address.” The patrol car never arrived. Camila Fernández, a trans activist with La Cámpora Diversia, accompanied Xoaquín to file the reports. “Sometimes when you go to the police station, they revictimize you, they ask you inappropriate questions. We went to the prosecutor's office and received better treatment. At one point, a court employee who is also gay approached us and offered us support,” she explained. The complaint was filed with the Prosecutor's Office for Instruction and Trial No. 11. “Afterwards, we went to the Medical Center located in the Bernal Triangle area. They didn't examine me; they just looked at me and said they saw I had a bruise on my mouth and a squeeze on my neck. That's all,” said López, who is unemployed. “I didn't go to the hospital in Solano either. You have to be dying to get them to see you,” he added.

Recidivism and reporting without consequences

“This is the second time they’ve attacked me. The first time was a few years ago. I filed reports at the police station and the prosecutor’s office, but they didn’t find enough evidence to do anything,” said Xoaquín. While considering requesting police protection for the area, Xoaquín said, “Now, if I leave my house, I have to go with someone. I call my sisters; they have to come pick me up. I don’t go out alone. Because I know that sooner or later I’m going to run into them. They live two blocks away. The two girls were staring and hurling insults. They didn’t steal anything; they didn’t take my shoes or my jacket. It was pure hate.” Juano Beni, an activist from the Quilmes area, added, “If I’m walking hand in hand with my friend, if I kiss him, I could be attacked. It’s part of everyday life to be on guard. There’s that fear because it happens to my comrades that they’re attacked; they’ve even yelled things at me before, since verbal harassment exists too.” Beni also reinforced the fact that there are united diversity movements in the area: “The fourth [period/election/etc.] is coming.” Pride march in Quilmes September 28th. We expect twice as many people as last year.”]]>