A transgender woman says she has been left traumatised after she was attacked while walking through a town centre.

Katie Bocon was walking alone in Trowbridge on a Friday night when she says a group of ten men shouted abuse about her being transgender. Then she says, the comments turned to violence.

Katie was terrified and overwhelmed when the men - who she believes were Polish - pulled her hair, snatched her phone and one kicked her.

She added, despite the the town centre's pubs being busy, and witnesses to the attack, nobody came to her aid.

You feel lonely, isolated, you feel you're fighting your own battle. Katie Bocon

Katie transitioned two years ago, and says becoming a woman cost her her marriage and job. The assault has even made her question living life as a woman.

Afterwards I had several like second thoughts whether it's worth to live as female. Katie Bocon

The attack even made Katie consider returning to life as a man. Credit: Katie Bocon

Katie is not alone, in the last year the following numbers of hate crimes have been recorded in our region:

3158 Avon and Somerset Police

498 Gloucestershire Police

564 Dorset Police

554 Wiltshire

Superintendent Dave Minty from Wiltshire Police says the force is taking steps to deal with hate crimes.