Transphobic hate crimes rise in Lancashire while homophobic attacks remain in the hundreds

New figures from Lancashire Police show reports of 62 transphobic hate crimes between January and August this year, and 68 in 2020.

This is a marked increase from 2019, when the force received ‘at least’ 45 reports of such crimes, but was unable to provide exact figures due to the low numbers called in.

Meanwhile, hate crimes based on sexual orientation numbered 346 this year, falling from 456 in 2020 and 423 the year before.

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When approached, Lancashire Police said ‘everyone in our county should be allowed to live their lives free from harassment and the fear of hate crime’ - but declined to say how many reported crimes had actually resulted in charges being brought.

They also declined to share their views about the reasons for the changes in the number of hate crime reports over the years.

Further data obtained from the force showed the highest number of sexual orientation hate crimes in a calendar month in the past three years was 66 in July 2021.

A total of 198 violent hate crimes based on sexual orientation were recorded in 2019, with 236 in 2020, and 174 from January to August 2021.

At least 20 violent transphobic hate crimes were recorded in 2020 and 30 from January to August 2021, with figures unavailable for the months of 2019. The highest number of transphobic hate crimes in a calendar month was 35 in July 2021.

Former Highfield High School headteacher Carolyn Mercer, who was suspended from her job after being outed as transgender in the 1990s, said: “It’s not in any way surprising, and (hate crimes) are still chronically underreported. National figures show that hate crimes have soared, which is worrying in itself. But on top of that, there are the crimes that you don’t see.

“Unfortunately, some parts of the media frequently, more than daily in some cases, are running stories which I believe are deliberately designed to single out people who are different, when the reality is that we are all unique and different. Much more care and concern needs to be shown to everybody, not just to LGBT people.

“The police certainly have a responsibility in law to mak sure that these crimes are reported, and I know throughme work with the police that they encourage people to report crimes and will be supportive when a crime is reported.

“Hate crime is certainly a real issue for people. But as well as that, there is the ‘drip, drip’ effect, which you wouldn’t call a hate crime or even a hate incident. It’s the words, the jokes, the looks at a lower level that can really wear a person down.”

National figures obtained from multiple UK police forces showed an overall increase in reported hate crimes, with at least 14,670 homophobic incidents recorded between January and August 2021, compared with 11,841 in the same period of 2020 and 10,817 in 2019.

During the same time period, police recorded 2,129 transphobic offences – well above the 1,606 offences in 2020 and 1,602 in 2019.

Lancashire police said: “Everyone in our county should be allowed to live their lives free from harassment and the fear of hate crime.

“Hate crime causes great distress to its victims and we are committed to investigating all crimes and incidents motivated by hate, supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice.

“A hate crime is a criminal offence which is thought by the victim, or anybody else, to have been committed against a person because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

“A hate incident is behaviour which is thought by the victim, or anybody else, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on someone’s age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

“A hate incident is behaviour which is thought by the victim, or anybody else, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on someone’s race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, alternative subculture or disability.”

REPORTING HATE CRIME

If you have experienced or witnessed a hate crime, you can report it by...

· Using the Lancashire police or True Vision’s website

· Visiting a third-party reporting centre

· Calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

· Calling police on 101 or;

· In an emergency, dialling 999

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