What is Homophobic crime?
Homophobic crime is any incident that is perceived to be homophobic by the victim or any other person. A victim of homophobic crime does not necessarily have to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) themselves, but considered to be so by the offender.
Incidents of homophobic crime might include physical assault, name-calling, damage to property, bullying or graffiti.
Domestic violence may also be a form of homophobic crime and include the types of incidents listed above, but it also might include financial abuse and mental abuse. Domestic violence towards LGBT people can be carried out by partners, but also by relatives, carers or friends.
GMP (with Hounslow Community Safety Partnership) has provided the LGBT community with a Homophobia Reporting Kiosk at The Windsor Castle pub in Hounslow. The kiosk is a stand-alone point with a display screen that allows anyone who has experienced homophobic or transphobic crime to report the incident to the Police. This report can be sent to them electronically to be investigated further, or if preferred, can be sent anonymously.
The reporting of homophobic, transphobic and domestic violence incidents via the kiosk, provides valuable information about hate crime and will hopefully encourage more people who have experienced homophobia and transphobia to come forward.
The kiosk will also go some way towards creating a safer community that understands homophobic and transphobic crime is taken very seriously by the Police and will not be ignored.
The kiosk being demonstrated to the Metropolitan Police.