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SOUTHERN VOICE « DECEMBER 29/1994 Anti-gay killings 'horrific/ survey finds New York, NY—When Roy Second came home last year and found that his compan ion had been battered and stabbed more than 20 times, he saw firsthand the brutal ity which a new study says is common in gay murders. A study by the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project found that nearly 60 percent of 151 anti-gay slayings reported in 29 states involved "extraordi nary and horrific violence" of a sort "fueled by rage and hate." While guns are used in 68 percent of all murders in the country, only 26 percent of anti-homosexual murderers shot their vic tims. Knives, baseball bats, clubs and ham mers were the weapons of choice, said the study, issued on Dec. 20. "The level of violence in these homicides is really gruesome," said Bea Hanson, a spokeswoman for the antiviolence project. "There's no reason why somebody needs to stab somebody more than 100 times." Secord, 36, of New York City said at a news conference held by the gay rights group that he came home one day last year to find that his companion had been stabbed nearly 30 times by a man they had hired to do some painting. "He did not go down with stab wounds alone," Secord said. "He was beaten with a pot and an iron." Secord said that over his objections^ prosecutors let the killer plead guilty to manslaughter rather than face trial for mur der. "I don't feel I was given equal time as a spouse would be given," he said. The study defined a killing as gay- or lesbian-related "if the victim's sexual orien tation appeared to have played a role." "These murders are only the end result of the rampant violence we face as gay people," said Lester Olmstead-Rose, execu tive director of San Francisco's Community United Against Violence, which helped con duct the study. "What we face is terrorism— the demand by thugs that we conform to their personal and religious standards." Olmstead-Rose said there were 366 anti gay attacks and incidents of harassment re ported in San Francisco last year. Among the victims was 24-year-old Victor Rohana, who in October was pinned against a wall and shot point-blank in the chest. Rohana sur vived the attack, but his assail ants have not been found. A c - cording to the survey, 51 percent of anti-gay killings are solved, compared with 65 percent for all homi cides. The study also said police were "in different to gay-lesbian-related homicides" and operated from "a blame-the-victim per spective." Police disagreed. "There's a tremendous amount of work that goes into these cases," said Armond Pelissetti, a homicide inspec tor for the San Francisco police. "The gay ones don't get any less, I guarantee you. But I don't know if that's the case elsewhere. I'm sure there are places elsewhere that are ho mophobic." Sgt. John Clifford, a New York City po lice spokesman, said the department "views homicides of all persons very seriously with a special sensitivity toward homicides com mitted against gays or lesbians." The study was based on three years of murder records, beginning in 1992. But the anti-violence group said the figures repre sent only a small percentage of hate mur ders of lesbians and gays because informa tion was provided by volunteer organiza tions covering only 29 states and the Dis trict of Columbia. Also, anti-gay violence is underreported because families of some victims try to keep it quiet and police frequently refuse to give details, the study said. The study said it found at least eight serial murderers preyed on homosexuals in the United States, and six are still at large. LARRY NEUMEISTER Victor Rohana of Son Francisco survived a brutal assault earlier this yeas AIDS housing survives budget ax Washington, DC—The Clinton adminis tration agreed Dec. 21 to restore funding for an AIDS housing program in its fiscal year 1996 budget. The move to include funding for the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program came after intensive lobbying by the Human Rights Campaign Fund, ACT UP and other AIDS organizations. "This is good news for the AIDS com munity, but the fight is only beginning," said Winnie Stachelberg, senior health policy advocate for HRCF. "Now the hard work of convincing Congress begins." HOPWA, a $186-million housing pro gram, provides grant funds to state and lo cal governments to develop long-term, com prehensive strategies for meeting the hous ing needs of low-income people living with HIV/ AIDS. The program was threatened by plans to consolidate 60 Housing and Urban Development programs into three block grants. It is estimated that between 33-50% of all people with AIDS are homeless or in dan ger of losing their homes. "As the AIDS epi demic continues to spread, especially in low-income communities, it is critical that the President's FY1996 budget reverse this disturbing trend," Stachelberg said. Dedicated to providing you with quality cars and service. Mew & Used Cars • Full Service Parts • Body Shop Put A Lid On It! 451-2700 V/a miles inside 1-285 5525 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. We appreciate your business. Urom a fetter to Gurry Jfontta... ~ My salesperson, Julie Ellis, was highly recommended to me by a friend who also enjoyed her dealings with Ms. Ellis. Julie Ellis was professional, courteous, and very respectful of the presence of my female life partner during the sale. Ms. Ellis could relate to me more comfortably than any other car salesperson ever has. I appreciated her availability at Curry Honda. 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