A 24-year-old Brazilian transgender woman has reported being the victim of a transphobic attack in the early hours of Sunday on the Greek island of Rhodes. The woman, who was visiting the island as a tourist, said she and a friend were violently assaulted by three unidentified men in the UNESCO-listed Medieval Town.
According to her complaint, the incident occurred at around 5 a.m., when only a small number of workers were in the area. She said she encountered three men, believed to be tourists, one of whom pushed her onto the cobblestone pavement, causing facial abrasions and knocking out one of her teeth.
Her 32-year-old friend, also a Brazilian national and a permanent resident of Portugal, rushed to help her, according to the Greek newspaper Dimokratiki. She alleged that she was then attacked by the other two men, suffering injuries to her nose. The two women fought back and ultimately managed to force their attackers to flee.
Following the incident, local residents who heard the disturbance helped the women leave the scene. A few hours later, at around 9:30 a.m., they filed a criminal complaint against unidentified suspects, giving authorities a detailed account of the attack. According to available information, the incident began outside a nightclub before escalating into a violent confrontation in a square in Rhodes’ Old Town.
Alleged Transphobic Motive
In her complaint, the 24-year-old alleged that the attack was motivated by transphobia, a claim that has become a central focus of the police investigation.
According to Dimokratiki, investigators are examining all available evidence to determine whether the assault was racially or hate-motivated, a finding that could affect the legal classification of the case.
Following the complaint, forensic medical examinations were ordered for both women, with their injuries officially documented. The alleged attackers have not yet been identified, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Search for the Suspects
Police are searching for the three alleged attackers while collecting witness statements and reviewing surveillance footage from the Medieval Town. Authorities believe the suspects may also have sustained injuries during the 24-year-old’s attempts to defend herself.
According to the two women’s statements, they had no prior acquaintance or personal dispute with the alleged attackers.
Despite the assault, the 24-year-old decided to remain on Rhodes and continue her vacation, receiving support from employees at nearby businesses who assisted her after the incident.
