Hate crime towards LGBTQ+ community on rise in Bristol and what police plan to do about it

Avon and Somerset Police have revealed there has been a rise in hate crimes committed against the LGBTQ+ community in Bristol.

In 2021 a record number of 237 hate crimes towards members of the LGBTQ+ community have been made, compared to 213 in 2020 and 194 in 2019 - which brings cause for concern.

Speaking on the issue, a spokesperson for Avon and Somerset stated: "It is however important to note that these numbers may reflect an increase in reporting of hate incidents, rather than simply an increase in frequency."

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However, the barriers members of the community may face when reporting crimes have also been acknowledged by the police, who explain that they have undergone research and partnership engagement in order to understand the issue.

Victims of hate crimes may often feel concerned about reporting an incident or making a statement due to fear of having to attend court and potentially be “outed” to individuals who are not aware of their sexual orientation.

The Avon and Somerset constabulary spokesperson shared that they "provided reassurance regarding our commitment to taking hate crime seriously at a recent partnership engagement event, as well as signposting participants to others ways of reporting if they don’t feel comfortable reporting directly to the police.".

As well as this, it has also been confirmed a "network" made up of around 40+ police officers and staff from various ranks and roles has been put together to specifically provide investigative advice to officers on LGBTQ+ hate crime, in addition to their core duties.

A number of these officers are said to have a specific interest in supporting LGBTQ+ victims of hate - whilst some, though not all, of these officers and staff are themselves members of the LGBTQ+ community and provide invaluable insight.

Avon and Somerset have affirmed that they aim to tackle the issue whilst increasing reporting as well as trust and confidence in the police.

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