NPCC Lead encourages the LGB&T community to report hate crime

LGB&T hate crimes and incidents are any crime or incident which is perceived to be motivated because of a person's sexual orientation or transgender identity - either their actual sexual orientation or gender identity or as perceived by the offender. This does not just mean physical violence, cases can also include verbal abuse, domestic abuse, harassment and damage to property.

The police and other criminal justice agencies consider all hate crime to be very serious, including homophobic and transphobic hate crime. When a case is prosecuted, the courts can impose a stronger sentence under powers from the Criminal Justice Act. This reflects the priority placed on these crimes. The police have performance targets and measures in place to ensure the service they offer is of the highest standard.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for LGB&T Issues, Chief Constable Jane Sawyers, said:

“Targeting a person because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is unacceptable. Everyone has a basic human right to feel safe and confident about themselves.

“We welcome the research in this report, which was conducted by Leicester University in the Leicestershire area.

“Forces across the country are putting in place measures to improve the recognition, reporting and – crucially – prevention of hate crime. Action is also needed to shape a positive culture and build strong relationships with the LGB&T community.

“Victims and witnesses should never be afraid to come forward.  Better knowledge is key if we are to bring offenders to justice, challenge hate and reduce the harm it causes. The True Vision website can be accessed online at www.report-it.org.uk and all complaints made to our officers will be handled with sensitivity and understanding.

“Discrimination has no place in this or any society. As the NPCC lead for LGB&T issues, I will continue to work closely with fellow chief officers and partner organisations such as Stonewall, the Crown Prosecution Service and the EHRC in order to help promote equality."