Home Secretary Alan John Launches Anti Gay Hate Crime Guide And Pledges Commitment To LGBT Community
Showing Labour’s support for reducing homophobic hate crime and improving reporting of such crimes, Home Secretary Alan Johnson yesterday launched the Stonewall’s new plain English guide for victims of anti-gay hate crime.
Entitled Blow the Whistle on Gay Hate the guide acts to explain what homophobic hate crime is, alongside why it should be reported and what we should be saying when we reporting it.
Speaking about the guide and the need to reduce the amount of homophobic hate crime in society Johnson said:
“Gay people have the same rights as everyone else to live in peace and security. Homophobic incidents have no place in a civilised, decent society. There are no extenuating circumstances.
‘” welcome this excellent plain English guide that encourages gay men and lesbians to report hate crimes. It sends a clear signal that there’s no place in a civilized society for such hatred. Gay people should have the same right as everyone else to justice, to live their lives without fear.”
A survey conducted for Stonewall by YouGov found that one in five gay people have been subject to homophobic hate crimes or incidents in the last three years with six gay men having been the victims of murder or attempted murders which police identified as homophobic in Britain in just the last 18 months.
Alongside launching the guide, Alan Johnson also used the event to announce a Labour Party manifesto commitment to fight the ‘Waddington amendment’ to the recent Criminal Justice Bill which attempts to dilute new protections against incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Commending Stonewall for the role they have played, he said
“Stonewall has played an absolutely paramount role in recent legal changes. It’s a testament to their skilful campaigning that the case for greater equality is on the agenda of every mainstream political party.”
The Chief Executive od Stonewall, Ben Summerskill, said:
“We believe that no human life should be overshadowed by hatred or prejudice or fear. We hope this guide will encourage more people to report anti-gay hate crime, and will help the police to respond and target their work more effectively.”
The new guide will be made available through bars and clubs, student unions, police services and Citizens Advice Bureaux as well as online at the Stonewall website.
