Homophobic and transphobic hate crime rise in Wiltshire
Reports across the UK at highest since pandemic began
Last updated 3rd Dec 2021
Reports of homophobic and transphobic hate crime in the United Kingdom are now at an all-time high. The level of reports are now at a rate that's not been seen since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Wiltshire Police say they recorded more than 100 crimes of this nature between January and August this year.
Across the UK figures suggest around 14,670 offences relating to sexual orientation were recorded from January to August this year. That's up by almost 3,000 from the same period in 2020.
Both homophobic and transphobic offences appear to have risen sharply after lockdown restrictions were eased.
THE STATISTICS
Wiltshire Police recorded 75 sexual orientation hate crimes in 2019, 125 crimes in 2020 and 113 from January to August 2021.
Some 37 transphobic hate crimes were recorded in 2019, 23 in 2020 and 13 in January-August 2021.
The highest number of sexual orientation hate crimes in a calendar month across this period was 23 in June 2021; for transphobic hate crimes it was five in May 2019, June 2019 and June 2021.
A total of 33 violence against the person sexual orientation hate crimes were recorded in 2019, with 54 in 2020 and 43 from January to August 2021.
There were 14 violent transphobic hate crimes recorded in 2019, 12 in 2020 and six in January-August 2021.
The highest number of violent sexual orientation hate crimes in a calendar month was 10 in September 2020 and June 2021; for violent transphobic hate crimes it was three in February 2019, August 2019, February 2020 and December 2020.
All the figures are the number of offences held by the Police force at the time of responding to a freedom of information request.