LGBTQ+ hate crimes on the rise in Essex
Nearly 450 hate crimes relating to sexual orientation were recorded up until August this year
Last updated 4th Dec 2021
Reports of homophobic and transphobic hate crime offences have been on the rise in Essex.
New analysis shows Essex Police recorded 446 sexual orientation hate crimes from January to August 2021, that's only slightly less than the 448 recorded in the whole of 2019.
While there were a total of 498 in 2020.
Some 102 transphobic hate crimes were also reported in the county in 2019, that dropped to 90 in 2020, and then again to 85 between January and August this year.
The highest number of sexual orientation hate crimes in a calendar month across this period was 82 in July 2021; for transphobic hate crimes it was 19 in February 2019.
Meanwhile, a total of 217 violence against the person sexual orientation hate crimes were recorded in Essex in 2019, with 249 in 2020 and 243 from January to August 2021.
While, there were 56 violent transphobic hate crimes recorded in 2019, 45 in 2020 and 47 in January-August 2021.
The highest number of violent sexual orientation hate crimes in a calendar month was 48 in July 2021; for violent transphobic hate crimes it was 12 in February 2019.
Nationally 14,670 sexual orientation hate crime offences were recorded from January to August 2021 across the UK, compared with 11,841 in the same period of 2020 and 10,817 in 2019.
While offences averaged 1,456 a month from January to April this year, they jumped to 2,211 on average from May to August.
There is a similar trend for transphobic offences, which averaged 208 a month from January to April, but 324 for May to August.
The figures were obtained by the PA news agency, based on freedom of information responses from 37 of 46 police forces.
However, many cases of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes during that period were under-reported.
Superintendent Richard Melton is Essex Police's hate crime lead. He says, “We want people to come forward and let us deal with the people that are perpetrating crimes against them. It’s wrong and needs to be challenged. That information will allow us to identify themes and take targeted action.
“We recognise the problems that hate crime causes and how it can escalate. What starts as low-level anti-social behaviour can grow into community tensions. Tensions then normalise hatred, the hatred then grows, and we have offences committed by those motivated by hate.
"Hate crime is a priority for Essex Police and will not be tolerated. We work shoulder to shoulder with our other Essex partners to take a hard line against hatred committed anywhere across the county, and we work closely with the CPS to make sure that hate crime offenders are brought to justice.”
Victoria Matthews is from the force's LGBTQ+ committee. She says, " “I’ve been lucky that I’ve never faced anything too horrific, but my partner has been beaten up for being who she is.
“I’ve had people shout “lesbian” at me, be funny with me in clubs or tell me I’ve just not met the right man.
“When I was younger, I wouldn’t hold hands or be affectionate in public. You get straight couples who feel confident to kissing and cuddling in public, but I’d be very self-conscious doing that.
“If there are a group of lads in the middle of town, I’m more likely to walk separately from my partner so we don’t have to deal with any form of abuse.”
She does however add, "Things have got better as I’ve got older and there are younger people who are having more positive experiences.
“Children are being taught in schools that there are differences in the world and when you go to events, you’re given leaflets and told about where you can go if you’re a victim of hate crime.
“Growing up, I wouldn’t have even thought that someone shouting at me is a hate crime.”
Victims of hate crime in Essex can report it online, by dialling 101 or 999 if it’s an emergency. It can also be report at any police station or by visiting one of the 14 hate crime reporting centres in the county. More details are available here: How to report hate crime | Essex Police
Details from the figures:
- 24 forces recorded their highest monthly number of homophobic offences since the start of 2019 during the period May-August 2021
- Some 2,129 transphobic offences were recorded in January to August this year - well above the equivalent period in 2019 (1,602) and 2020 (1,606)
- At least 6,985 homophobic hate crimes classed as violence against the person were recorded from January-August 2021 - almost matching the whole of 2019 (7,078) and close to the 2020 total (7,944)
- Violent transphobic crimes are also on course to exceed previous years, with at least 1,207 recorded to August 2021 compared with 1,216 and 1,354 for all of 2019 and 2020 respectively
Leni Morris, chief executive of Galop, the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, said it launched its hate crime helpline in February 2021 "because we saw a real impact on the community from the pandemic itself".
She said same-sex couples were more visible when out in public during periods of restrictions, and others faced "escalating violence" when locked down with homophobic or transphobic neighbours.
"We have some people who were victims of abuse and attacks because of being blamed for the pandemic itself, either because perpetrators thought the pandemic was an act of God - because of the existence of LGBT+ people - or because of the community's association with the last major pandemic in people's minds, and that's the HIV Aids pandemic."