Woman claims she's victim of 'homophobic attack'

An assault at York University is being described as a ‘homophobic attack" by the victim.

Valerie Bustros says she was beaten by three males after she used the female bathroom at York University's Winters Absinthe pub on Tuesday. She says the attackers questioned her gender as she entered the bathroom and attacked her when she came out.

"After I went into the bathroom a man opened the door and said ‘That's the ladies room' and I responded by telling him I wasn't a man just a butch lesbian. The next thing I knew I came out and he was screaming at me and grabbing me," she said. "We got into a scuffle on the floor and his friends started hitting me while he was kicking me in the face."

After pub security broke up the fight the three men fled. York University security arrived and briefly stayed with Bustros before leaving on another call.

Police then came and took Bustros' statement.

In the wake of the attack the Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gays Allies at York are calling on the university to do more to protect students. A community meeting will be held at York University at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Police are in the process of interviewing witnesses and reviewing security tape of the incident. No arrests have been made.

"I can't believe the amount of ignorance that exists in the world," Bustros says. "I supposed I'm glad it happened to me because I can take it, but for a 19 or 20 year old kid just coming out and having gender identity issues it might have driven them to suicide."

Bustros is not a student at York, but works at the campus restaurant.

In a statement released Friday afternoon York's president and vice-chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri condemned the attack.

"With such an incredibly diverse community, it is essential to recognize and respect the different beliefs that exist within our University," he says. "Together, our responsibility is to embrace our shared differences – be it sexual orientation, race, faith, age or gender – and to condemn those who deny our members their fundamental rights."

With a report from CP24's Sue Sgambati.