The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP)has published its comprehensive report on hate violence experienced by LGBTQ people in the last year and has found that homicides targeting LGBT and HIV-positive people rose by 11% in the US last year. NCAVP’s report documented 1,359 incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence in 2014 – a 32% decrease from the 2,001 total incidents reported in 2013.
Although statistics find a decrease in non-lethal attacks reported by police 1,359 incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence in 2014 – a 32% drop from 2002 it doesn’t mean the violence is necessarily going down the NCAVP reports states. But rather, police are not labeling crimes as bias-motivated. The report found that just 6% of hate violence being reported to police is being labeled as such.
“With biased crimes, it seems like pulling teeth to get them to check that extra box in the paperwork,” said Justin Shaw, executive director of the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project,
“We hear so many incidents that happen and get labeled simple assault when there is an obvious hate component – it feels as if we are stuck in a paperwork cycle with people’s lives.”
Overall, 54% of LGBTQ people reported violence to police when it occurred, according to the report, a nine-point increase from 2014. They were also 2.4 times more likely than any other group to experience violence from the police when reporting.
This decrease should not be an indication that anti-LGBTQ hate violence is declining,” said Jindasurat. “In fact it should be a call to action for policymakers, funders, and service providers to increase funding, legislation, public awareness and outreach that encourages reporting of hate violence incidents and promotes safety for LGBTQ and HIV-affected.”
“I think that is why this report is important, because we know that a lot of progress has happened and we are very happy with the culture change happening in the country,” Jindasurat said. “But it is still a deadly risk to be LGBTQ”
What I find disturbing is that we had 2 chalk outlines , similar to the one in the illustration for this report , drawn on the shared drive to our home along with the messages of ” gun fire ahead ” ” saddle up Sally” and “2 senior stalkers live here” and no one is reacting that our concerns are real . We are not there yet !