A mother is living in constant fear for her teenage son's life after he became a target of bullying due to his gender identity. Every day, she worries he will be beaten; every time he leaves the house, she dreads the phone ringing, terrified of who might be on the other end. She fears he could be killed.
The mother, whose identity is being protected due to concerns for her son's safety, shared their story with the ECHO in hopes that action will be taken to protect her vulnerable child, who has been targeted since he was just 12 years old.
Transition and Early Bullying
When her child was 12, she began transitioning from female to male. The mother said: "My son is now 16. He's doing his GCSEs and he's transgender, he's transitioning from female to male." Despite some incidents at school with bullies, things were "going great" until last year when the situation escalated dramatically.
Visibly upset, she recounted: "He was chased into a classroom and physically attacked for the first time. It was two girls in a lower year group who attacked him. They were suspended then expelled. Since then, he's been ok in school."
Attacks Outside School
Following the attack, the schoolboy, who has autism and suffers from high anxiety, was placed on a reduced timetable to ease his time at school. However, around six months ago, his attackers began waiting for him outside school. The mother reported these incidents to Merseyside Police.
One afternoon, as he left school alone and headed towards South Parkway train station, he was met by two girls believed to have been lying in wait. She said: "They shouted abuse and transphobic slurs, it's disgusting. Some of the things they said he won't tell me, so I know they must have been horrible. They threatened to beat him up. One grabbed his hair and pulled him back while another punched him in the face. He fell on the floor and at that point all five of them jumped on him, kicking and punching him."
Nearby residents rushed out to scare the girls off. They ensured he was okay, and he returned to school crying. The mother got a call and left work to pick him up. "He was shaken up. When the adrenaline wore off, the panic set in that night."
Police Response and Continued Fear
The mother called police that night and gave a statement. The ECHO understands an investigation was launched, but there was insufficient evidence to identify the suspects. He remained off school that week. The following Monday, he was too anxious to stay and left early. Two schoolgirls were reportedly waiting for him again at South Parkway station, where he was beaten a second time. Merseyrail staff and members of the public intervened.
The attack was reported to police, but the mother claims nothing has been done. She said: "Weeks have passed, I've called 101 asking for an update, but nothing. I've been passed from pillar to post and got nowhere. What if my son is out on the streets one day and he gets attacked, knifed, and I get a phone call because he's in ICU because police have not arrested these kids? It's terrifying."
She added: "It was only a few years ago that a transgender teenager from Warrington was killed. These kids need to be educated more and there's nothing being done about it, no support for the victims."
Impact on the Family
Merseyside Police confirmed they had received an official complaint and said "the matter is currently being reviewed." The mother described the last six months as the worst, adding: "He's been physically assaulted numerous times. He doesn't go out any more. He's isolated, he has no friends because he's frightened to go out. He's always looking over his shoulder. He doesn't know where's safe, he won't go to town. His exams have been affected because he's lost a lot of time at school due to anxiety. This has all happened during his exams, what he has worked hard for over the last five years, and now he can't sit them properly."
Sadly, the schoolboy knew he would face problems when he started his transition, "but to be physically assaulted is horrible," says his mum. She said: "It shouldn't be a thing in this day and age. I'm a single mum, I don't have their dad around. I have support from my friends and family, but having to take this on as the only parent is heartbreaking. I just can't wait for him to go to college, where he will be with more like-minded people. But then I dread to think what could happen when he starts going out soon, what's it going to be like when he starts going to pubs, clubs, what will happen on his way home?"
Speaking about the pain of watching her son being targeted, she said: "I gave birth to a little girl, when he told me he doesn't want to be a girl anymore and wants to be a boy, it was hard but I saw it as that I've gained a son, I haven't lost a child. I accepted it. I love him to bits and I would never ever change him, he's a brilliant person but for someone to come along and try and take that away, it hurts. They haven't been through the emotions we've been through as a family so how do they get to rip into him? He is the most beautiful, polite, pleasant, welcoming boy, he would never ever hurt a fly and for someone to come along and think they can take that away is heart-breaking. He's my son, it's my job to protect him."
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "We can confirm we have received a complaint in relation to these investigations. The matter is currently being reviewed by Merseyside Police’s Professional Standards Department and we remain in contact with the complainant. As a complaint has been received, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."
