Galop, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity together with international partners will launch a hate crime reporting website and mobile app on September 28.
The scheme, named UNI-FORM will allow people to report homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crimes online. It will be functional across the UK, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Malta, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.
UNI-FORM is the only international online reporting tool that is specific for hate crimes targeting LGBT+ people. It can be used by victims, witnesses and any other person who wants to report homophobia, biphobia or transphobia. UK reports will be received by Galop, recorded and passed to the police at the reporting person’s request.
Nick Antjoule, Galop’s Hate Crime Manager, said: “Too often people feel coerced into silence by prejudice, intimidation and violence. We are encouraging people to take a stand against hatred by speaking up when they see prejudice and to seek help if they experience it”.
Why is this Important?
Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse is a problem in the UK and globally, though very little is ever reported to authorities.
Galop’s National LGBT Hate Crime Report (2016) found:
♦ 4 in 5 LGBT people had experienced hate crime during their lifetime
♦ Just 1 in 4 LGBT people reported the last hate crime they experienced
♦ 1 in 4 LGBT people had experienced physical assault as part of a hate crime (25%).
One Bisexual man interviewee revealed: “I was in a park… and two men asked for a light. We were attacked by a group of six other men, who began to kick, punch and stab us. They shouted homophobic abuse and kicked my head like a football”.
Galop hopes this innovative new pan London reporting scheme and closer collaboration will build a robust evidence base that will raise awareness, increase the level of understanding and will lead to an improved response of authorities across Europe.
For more information about GALOP, click here: