‘Youngsters of LGBTQ community face domestic abuse’

Shiva Kumar put the plight of LGBTQ community in perspective by comparing them with those who face caste-based discrimination. “The LGBTQ persons fight a lone battle which begins at home. Most parents torment their children if their sexual orientation is not acceptable to society. It is unbearable that they have no other option but to leave home,” he said.

That is how the two women contacted him over phone a few days ago, saying they were not able to suffer abuse from their parents and sought his help. “I connected them with another person and a house was arranged for them. I did not even meet them until they were brought to the ICF police station,” said Shiva Kumar. According to him, parents of the one of the girls had come to city from Madurai and he was anxious about the plight of the other girl.

Shiva Kumar said those like him are being supportive to those who are stranded, but police who are supposed to stand with them treat them like traffickers.

In fact, a day before securing him, officials from Madurai police spoke to him over phone posing as transmen seeking help. “They told me they were in trouble and needed help. They said they want to come to Chennai and that they have jewels. I discouraged them against bringing jewels or cash from their parents as it would get them into trouble, not realising that I was speaking to police officials. I booked an auto for them when they informed that they had reached Koyambedu,” he said.

After securing his staff Selvam, a transman, from the NGO’s office and beating him up, the police officials picked up Shiva Kumar around 11 am from Nungambakkam. “It was around 11 pm when I was let off after the intervention of senior police officers of city police,” Shiva Kumar recalled.