The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women released a statement Thursday opposing anti-transgender initiatives–such as North Carolina’s notorious HB2–because they will inevitably increase violence against transgender people rather than protect women from violence.

The group’s statement, ‘National Consensus Statement of Anti-Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Organizations in Support of Full and Equal Access for the Transgender Community,’ has been signed by 250 different anti-sexual assault and anti-domestic violence groups.

Of the 250 groups, most work closely with the survivors of sexual assault, rape, domestic violence and other crimes against women. They specialize in the prevention of violence and care for its victims and are specially in tune with what is needed to stop sexual violence.

N.C. Governor Pat McCrory has repeatedly called it “common sense” that women may fall victim to sexual predators in bathrooms or locker rooms, predators who are transgender or masquerade at women in order to abuse them. These fears have not been substantiated and have been called a “myth” by the task force.

Anti-transgender initiatives, the statement says, “utilize and perpetuate the myth that protecting transgender people’s access to restrooms and locker rooms endangers the safety or privacy of others.”

“As organizations that care about reducing assault and violence, we favor laws and policies that protect transgender people from discrimination, including in accessing facilities that match the gender they live every day,” the statement continues.

These initiatives utilize and perpetuate the myth that protecting transgender people’s access to restrooms and locker rooms endangers the safety or privacy of others. As organizations that care about reducing assault and violence, we favor laws and policies that protect transgender people from discrimination, including in accessing facilities that match the gender they live every day.

According to the task force, transgender people already suffer “unconscionably high rates” of sexual assault. They live every day as a particular gender and are vulnerable to assault when forced to use facilities that don’t correspond to the gender they identify with.

“As advocates committed to ending sexual assault and domestic violence of every kind, we will never support any law or policy that could put anyone at greater risk for assault or harassment,” said the statement.