VicPol loses legal battle over transphobic referral

The Socialist Bulletin Staff - 9/12/2025

VICTORIA Police has lost a legal battle over a transphobic referral made to a transgender woman at her most vulnerable moment.

Atomic Wylder approached police in Bendigo in 2023, telling them that she genuinely feared for her life.

According to Ms. Wylder, at the time, the police treated her well, and, at the time of her report to police, they were not transphobic.

However, several weeks later, Ms. Wylder received a phone call from the Department of Justice, using her deadname, and referring her, incorrectly, to men's support services. According to Ms. Wylder, this phone call was unsurprisingly extremely humiliating, and the VicPol decision to refer her to men's services was unquestionably wrong and disgraceful on the part of the Police.

Following this phone call, Wylder, who is not a lawyer, and who cannot afford expensive legal support, spent weeks reading and re-reading Victorian and Australian legislation regarding discrimination and the rights of transgender Australians. She then courageously took the Police to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing that Victoria Police had breached the Equal Opportunity Act by refusing to use her correct name or correct gender.

Victoria Police, acting as the defender of capital, of the status-quo and of bigotry, accused Ms. Wylder of "abusing process" by taking them to VCAT.

The Tribunal did not find in the Police's favour, and recently the Police have admitted to mishandling her case, and have issued a formal apology to her.