Almost half of LGBT Londoners have been the victim of a hate crime
By Ross Semple
Almost 50% of LGBT+ Londoners have been the victim of a hate crime in the last year, according to a new report.
Pride in London commissioned the report, as stated in The Huffington Post, which shows a 35% increase in anti-LGBT+ attacks in the capital since 2014. Most of those who reported being the victim of a hate crime had experienced an attack more than once. Over a third of LGBT+ respondents said that they’d been victimised five times or more.
Only 21% of LGBT+ hate crime victims have reported the incident to the police. LGBT+ people are less likely to report a hate crime than the general population.
Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s department for tackling hate crime, said of the findings: “One of the big issues surrounding hate crime is lack of reporting. This research from Pride in London backs up our experience that LGBT+ people are often reluctant to report a hate crime.”
Stringer urges the victims of hate crimes to report the incidents. “The Metropolitan Police is committed to supporting the LGBT+ community and we welcome Pride in London’s campaign that aims to encourage victims of hate crime to come forward and report it,” he continued.
“Only through better reporting can we better understand the issue, offer support to those who need it, and tackle the root cause in our communities.
“We take hate crime very seriously and would appeal to anyone who witnesses or suffers any hate of any type to immediately report it so that action can quickly be taken and catch those who are responsible.”
Pride in London co-chairs, Alison Camps and Michael Salter-Church, said: “Reported hate crime is the tip of the iceberg.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Pride in London said: “Many people think that London is a progressive city, but hate is still a big problem for the LGBT+ community here.
“As a community, LGBT+ people face all kinds of daily ‘micro-aggressions’. From having to explain that as a same sex couple you do want a double room in a hotel, to being frowned at for holding your partner’s hand in the street. For a brief time we’re highlighting this across London to raise awareness of the issue.
“2017 marks the 50th anniversary since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK. Much progress has been made: The abolition of Section 28, the Equal Marriages Act. However, our latest research findings show that if you’re LGBT+ you’re more than twice as likely to experience a hate crime.”
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