Delaware has officially banned the so-called “gay and trans panic” defense, becoming the 17th state in the nation to do so.

The panic defense is a legal defense strategy used to justify violent crimes against LGBTQ+ people due to a perpetrator “panicking” over discovering their victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the Movement Advancement Project, no state allows the defense to be used on its own, but it is often used alongside other defense strategies as a way to advocate for leniency.

  • Shdwdrgn
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    1 year ago

    Form anyone interested, this wikipedia page has a list of all the States which have had bills to consider the matter, or have successfully outlawed this sickening excuse of a defense.

    • dumples@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Every time a article says it banned in a certain number of state I want to know what other states have it. This should have been included and thanks for sharing this

      • Shdwdrgn
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        1 year ago

        Same here – my first question was “has MY state banned this practice too?”

        • dumples@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Yeah. I was disappoint that it wasn’t where I lived but had a bill in 2021 to make it illegal