When fear and hate rears its ugly head

on March 23, 2021.

When the couple frst moved to the area they lived in Nimbin in 2016 and after a few more moves, they ended up in Woodburn where Rod is a DJ and volunteers in the community and his partner runs art therapy classes.

“We met in 2011, and we’ve been together for nearly 14 years,” said Rod.

Life was going along smoothly until one day in June, Callie received an email from ‘Charlton Heston’ which read ‘F*&k off ya degenerate pig’.

It was the beginning of a number of emails from various pseudonyms, all insulting and one with very serious threats.

“This one scares me the most as I take this as a death threat,” said Callie.

The email was from ‘Margaret Thatcher’ and a picture of two feet hanging just above a chair with the words ‘A Day of the rope is coming for you’ and the words ‘was/were’ over the feet.

When the same car, over a number of nights in November, started travelling up and down their road, slowing down in front of their house, then turning around and coming back, the couple contacted the police.

“We went and stayed at our friend’s home, too fearful to return home,” said Callie.

Then on the night of 21st November, the couple’s tyres were slashed, which also happened to be Trans Day of Remembrance.

“It’s the day we remember people who have died from transphobic attacks,” said Callie, visibly upset.

The couple, understandably, are living with a high level of fear and anxiety and too frightened to even go downtown for a coffee.

The couple wanted to get their story out to make people aware of what was happening to them.

“Awareness needs to be raised,” said Rod.

“In this day and age, we don’t want this type of behaviour in our community.”

If you see anything suspicious, have urgent information or need to report a crime call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.