Resources

Catalog of Services and Resources

Extraction to another country is our signature service but we offer a wide variety of services to help you reach a safer place.

We have a surprisingly wide variety of services and resources—enough that this is a rather long list! For clarity we’ve divided it into “services” (things one of our volunteers can help with, ranging from helping you escape to another country to our weekly online open call), and “resources” (various videos, books, papers, blog posts, and so on).

We help people facing serious risk in countries where being trans or queer is criminalized or deadly dangerous. In these cases, we may be able to provide direct relocation support: get you a passport, visa, plane ticket, and—if needed—even help you escape from the family compound. We can do this nearly anywhere in the world.

If you are in a country that is becoming dangerous but isn’t at that level, we aren’t able to provide this level of service. We are limited by funding and it’s only fair that we give priority to those who can’t realistically get themselves to safety. Oklahoma may be a bad place to be trans but it’s not Saudi Arabia. We call places like the USA “countries of new concern” or CONC.

In countries that are becoming less safe, such as the United States or the United Kingdom, we focus on providing information, guidance, and a variety of consultation services to help people relocate independently.

We were founded to support trans people but we also assist others who are at risk due to gender identity, gender expression, or their association with someone who is. This includes intersex people, gay people, and others who may be targeted for not meeting local expectations. You do not need to prove your identity or provide documentation of your situation. We take people at their word.

If you are under 18, we cannot help you. Assisting a minor to move to another country is a serious crime.

If you are in a country where you can be killed simply for being trans, we can help. We have helped 186 people like you to find safety in another country.

Locked up/monitored?

If you are locked up, closely monitored by captors or family, and have limited ability to communicate, we have instructions for communicating securely.

If you are in China, Saudi Arabia, or another country that monitors communications, you should also use secure communications. Please only use it if you are in these specific situations.

Rapid Response – Help Tonight

If being LGBT is illegal where you are and you have police, a ‘chief’, the local wazee or nyumba kumi, or your family hunting you and you need a bus ticket to a nearby city and shelter for a week, then we offer Rapid Response. It’s not to move to another continent but to get to another town. Visit our Rapid Response page for more information.

We maintain a close watch on the Signal messaging app at transrescue.17 and on Telegram @TransRescue.  Please don’t use use Signal for non-emergency contacts. We will respond within hours. Realistically, we can’t help you if the attackers are at your door but we can respond quickly, particularly in East and West Africa.

Extraction – Direct Relocation

If you are in a dangerous country, we can help you leave to a safer place. We will try to do this from anywhere. And yes, we mean anywhere.

We are a small organization with limited resources. If funding is required, waiting times can be long. If you are able to cover your own travel and initial living costs, we may be able to support your relocation more quickly — often within a shorter timeframe if you already have a passport. We refer to this as a “self-funded” relocation. We do not charge for our services.

Our focus is on helping people reach safety. While we take your preferences into account, we cannot guarantee relocation to a specific country or destination. If you start negotiating where we’ll take you or listing “requirements”, this isn’t for you. We are like the helicopter that rescues people off sinking boats. The ride is scary and uncomfortable and you may not end up where you want to go but you will be someplace safe.

Relocation can be difficult and stressful. It requires coordination, trust, and cooperation. You will be part of a team working together to reach a safe outcome. In some cases, we may not be able to continue support if cooperation is not possible.

If you would like support with relocation, please visit the Extraction page.

We offer a wide variety of online resources, and interactive help, support, and advice for those leaving CONC countries like the US or UK.

Office Hours: an open Google Meet call held every Saturday, midday US time. If you want to talk with someone, we are here every week. You don’t have to have a plan or even be sure you want to move. We’re here to support you. Some folks pop in occasionally to let us know how it’s going or be reassured they’re not crazy for doing this. It’s an open call and often its good to have others around going through the same thing.

Email the CONC team: If you have a complex or sensitive situation and prefer email support, you can email our CONC team at conc@transrescue.org .

Talk with our Lawyer: We employ a Kenyan attorney.  If you would like to speak with him, write to legal@transrescue.org and ask for his help. He can’t act as your attorney but can point you in the right direction.

Citizenship Consultation: If you believe you are eligible for citizenship in another country because of who your ancestors are, we have an expert in obtaining citizenship. If you would like advice, write to citizenship@transrescue.org.

Financial Help: We unfortunately cannot help you if you are homeless or financially struggling in the USA or UK.  As desperate as conditions can be in the USA, they are far worse in Iran or Uganda. We can sometimes help put you in contact with local organizations but you are better off contacting them directly. If you are out of options, write to conc@transrescue.org or show up at Office Hours.

Held Against Your Will: If you are over 18 and being held against your will in the US, UK, or similar country, we can help you. We treat such cases as an exception to the countries rule. See the section for rapid response above for dangerous countries.

Contact Addresses: We have a number of other points of contact. If you want to talk with us, see below for a complete list of contact addresses.

How To Get Out is our best resource if you are just getting started. Our How To Get Out book is available here on the site – it’s your first stop.

Country List – If you are looking for a country to go to, the country list section of the How To Get Out book is especially useful.

Social Media – follow us to stay up to date with the fast changing situation. We have active accounts on several platforms:

We also have an active YouTube channel. The following are a few of our more popular videos:

Our Newsletter – We send out a newsletter. We try to limit it to once a month but in practice it’s less often than that anyway. TBD – mailchimp setup.

Trans Rescue Links

Blog – We have an active Blog, with articles on many subjects.

advice africa America Asylum attack backpack Bathroom bugout cis collaboration Disability Drivers License east Africa Eden House Egypt emigration finances funding genocide getting out human rights defender inauguration intersex iran ireland kansaas Kansas Kenya organization org news passenger passport press release questions republic of ireland Saudi Arabia security taxes transphobia Trump uganda uk united kingdom United States USA

Some important articles from our blog, by subject:

Be The Hands Behind Trans Rescue. We are a volunteer run organization, but you can support us in many ways besides ongoing volunteering and donating.

The work we do is expensive. We spend 2500 EUR on the average extraction. Just helping in the US would be cheaper, but the work we do elsewhere is life saving. If you possibly can, Donate.

If you would be willing to support us with 5000 EUR or over, we can make it tax deductible in the USA. Write to our director.

If you have a recurring donation, you can manage it here.

Do you work at a firm with an employee match program administered by benevity? Many large firms have such a program. Donating to us through your employee match program or corporate responsibility program can double your impact.

There’s a saying, if you have money you have no time. If you have time, you have no money. If you have time but no money, Volunteer. We depend on the hard work of a wide variety of people. Check out our Volunteer opportunities.

Want to have a blast and help us out at the same time? Throw a Party or Fundraiser. It doesn’t have to be older ladies in ballgowns, through it can be. Turn your hobby event or music venue into a fundraiser. Throwing a house party? Make it a fundraiser.

Are you with a for profit company or NGO? We’d love to talk with you about ways we can collaborate. We have had innovative programs to do so.

We have worked with several for profit companies on collaborative projects. These don’t have to be corporate social responsibility related. We have a nearly unique ability to operate almost anywhere in the world. If that is something your firm would find useful, email us.

Social Media – Not the best way to contact us, but we have active accounts on several platforms:

Messenger services

  • We have a public group on Telegram, mostly used by passenger adjacent folks.
  • Our contact on Signal. Please use only for emergency communications, not general contact if you are not TR staff.