Our main historical reference to genocide is the murder of millions by Hitler's Germany. And that is understandable considering not only the motivation, ethnic cleansing, but the sheer number of those murdered.
5. How many Jews were murdered in each country and what percentage of the pre-war Jewish population did they constitute?
Answer: (Source: Encyclopedia of the Holocaust)
Austria 50,000 -- 27.0%
Italy 7,680 -- 17.3%
Belgium 28,900 -- 44.0%
Latvia 71,500 -- 78.1%
Bohemia/Moravia 78,150 -- 66.1%
Lithuania 143,000 -- 85.1%
Bulgaria 0 -- 0.0%
Luxembourg 1,950 -- 55.7%
Denmark 60 -- 0.7%
Netherlands 100,000 -- 71.4%
Estonia 2,000 -- 44.4%
Norway 762 -- 44.8%
Finland 7 -- 0.3%
Poland 3,000,000 -- 90.9%
France 77,320 -- 22.1%
Romania 287,000 -- 47.1%
Germany 141,500 -- 25.0%
Slovakia 71,000 -- 79.8%
Greece 67,000 -- 86.6%
Soviet Union 1,100,000 -- 36.4%
Hungary 569,000 -- 69.0%
Yugoslavia 63,300 -- 81.2%
In aggregate 48.77% of the Jewish population in Europe were killed.
The UN has defined Genocide in Article 6 of the Rome Statute:
Article 6: Genocide
For the purpose of this Statute, "genocide" means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
The UN also has programs to try and avoid genocide and I found these indicators therein.
• Acts that could be obvious “elements” of the crime of genocide as defined in Article 6 of the Rome Statute, such as killings, abduction and disappearances,
torture, rape and sexual violence; ‘ethnic cleansing’ or pogroms;
• Less obvious methods of destruction, such as the deliberate deprivation of
resources needed for the group’s physical survival and which are available to the rest of the population, such as clean water, food and medical services;
• Creation of circumstances that could lead to a slow death, such as lack of proper housing, clothing and hygiene or excessive work or physical exertion;
• Programs intended to prevent procreation, including involuntary sterilization, forced abortion, prohibition of marriage and long-term separation of men and women;
• Forcible transfer of children, imposed by direct force or through fear of violence, duress, detention, psychological oppression or other methods of coercion;
• Death threats or ill treatment that causes disfigurement or injury; forced or coerced use of drugs or other treatment that damages health.
When I read this blockquoted sentence I think about my grades, certifications, and qualifications and think about the hundreds of applications I had to put in just to get a buck over minimum wage job. I think about the bedsore developing on my tailbone from sleeping on the floor because apartment managers that were effervescent when I drop off my application are harsh and evasive in their decision not to rent to me after the credit reporting agencies out me as Transgender to them. Face it, in this society if you don't work you suffer greatly, unless you were born rich, and denial of jobs and housing mean certain pain and suffering.
Creation of circumstances that could lead to a slow death, such as lack of proper housing, clothing and hygiene or excessive work or physical exertion;
I know in the past I've had my insistence that how Transgender people in this culture are treated amounts to genocide be dismissed as hyperbolic. But that was before the Williams Institute released a study on the true cost of constant discrimination from all sides has on the Transgender psyche.
This study was released last month. And like a football it has been passed behind the scenes here at Daily Kos amongst the Transgender Community and collectively we do not want to touch it with a ten foot pole. But with groups advocating discrimination against us as a tenet of their theological philosophy information in this study will be used by them to reinforce their twisted viewpoint that we are inherently insane.
But the study authors were keen to point out a glaring hole in that premise. We are being driven to self harm by society, our mental state would be fine if we were left alone to live our lives.
Press Release For Immediate Distribution
January 28, 2014
Contact:
Laura Rodriguez, lrodriguez@rabengroup.com, (310) 956-2425
Donald Gaitlin, dgatlin@rabengroup.com, (202) 587-2871
Those who experienced violence and family rejection had elevated risk of suicide attempts
LOS ANGELES — New analysis of responses to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) shows that transgender respondents who experienced rejection by family and friends, discrimination, victimization, or violence have a higher risk of attempting suicide. 78 percent of survey respondents who suffered physical or sexual violence at school reported suicide attempts, as did 65 percent of respondents who experienced violence at work. The analysis is part of a new study conducted by Ann P. Haas and Philip L. Rodgers of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Jody L. Herman of UCLA Law School’s Williams Institute.
“This study outlines the potential links between minority stressors and suicidal behavior among transgender and gender non-conforming individuals,” said Herman. “More research is needed, but this is a critical first step in efforts to address the negative mental health impacts of anti-transgender discrimination.”
The study suggests that several minority stressors – negative experiences related to anti-transgender bias – may contribute to elevated prevalence of suicide attempts among transgender people, such as experiences of harassment, family rejection, housing instability, and discrimination in health care. Over half of those who experienced harassment or bullying in schools reported lifetime suicide attempts, as did 57 percent of those who reported that their family chose not to speak/spend time with them. High prevalence of suicide attempts was also found among those who had ever experienced homelessness (69%) and those who reported a doctor or healthcare provider refused to treat them (60%).
“We know from studies of other vulnerable populations that environmental stressors can have a profound impact on individuals’ mental health and well-being, and in turn, on suicidal behavior,” said Haas. “Our findings suggest the need for a closer look at how anti-transgender bias, depression and despair interact to produce the alarmingly high suicide attempt rates among transgender people.”
Other key findings include:
· Suicide attempts among trans men (46%) and trans women (42%) were slightly higher than the full sample (41%). Cross-dressers assigned male at birth have the lowest reported prevalence of suicide attempts among gender identity groups (21%).
· Prevalence of suicide attempts is elevated among those who disclose to everyone that they are transgender or gender-non-conforming (50%) and among those that report others can tell always (42%) or most of the time (45%) that they are transgender or gender non-conforming even if they don’t tell them.
· Respondents who are HIV-positive (51%) and respondents with disabilities (55-65%) also have elevated prevalence of suicide attempts. In particular, 65 percent of those with a mental health condition that substantially affects a major life activity reported attempting suicide.
· Respondents who experienced discrimination or violence by law enforcement had elevated prevalence of suicide attempts:
o Disrespected or harassed by law enforcement officers: 57-61 percent.
o Suffered physical or sexual violence by law enforcement officers: 60-70 percent.
The study utilized data collected through the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), which was conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 6,456 transgender and gender non-conforming people in the United States reported on their experiences of discrimination and abuse at work, at home, in school, and in the public sphere, amassing the largest transgender survey sample to date.
Study(PDF)
Suicide attempt rates in the 50% range and up. With one of the highest amongst those of us that have been sexually assaulted by police.
Another nugget uncovered in this study was that the normal factor of socioeconomic status is negated in regards to Transgender people and suicide, money and fame will not protect you from bullying, as Janet Mock found out this week.
Even other minorities are accepted by their families and immediate communities. If you are Transgender even those doors are slammed shut.
To conclude: It's YOUR fault, do something about it!