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Government Equalities Office
Background• The Government Equalities Office works to take action on
the government’s commitment to remove barriers to equality and help to build a fairer society.
• Specific responsibility for LGB&T equality policy.
• Work across government to see where LGB&T needs can be better addressed.
• Regular engagement with key LGB&T stakeholders.
• LGB&T groups told us that action should be focussed on preventing and tackling hate crime and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.
Government Equalities Office
Hate crime – how did we get here?
• Civil Disorder 1980s and 2001
• Stephen Lawrence 1993 London
• Johnny Delaney 2003 Cheshire
• Anthony Walker 2005 Merseyside
• Jody Dobrowski 2005 London
• Sophie Lancaster 2007 Lancashire
Government Equalities Office
What is a hate crime? The UK stance• Criminal Justice System definition:
“In the absence of a precise legal definition of hostility, let us consider dictionary definitions including 'unfriendliness', 'antagonism' and 'meanness’ ” – Director of Public Prosecutions, October 2008
• Human rights approach adopted
• Stephen Lawrence Inquiry definition:
Importance of ‘perception’. Importance of Non-crime incidents.
• Strands of ‘Monitored’ Hate Crime Disability, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation
and Transgender
Government Equalities Office
Why is hate crime important?• Has a greater impact on the victim
• Affects wider community
• Has an impact on community cohesion
• Affects confidence in the police and others
• Effective response prevents escalationin seriousness
• Legal duties
• It is a government priority - particularly under-reporting
Government Equalities Office
Victim experiencesHow good are the UK?
• Victims more likely to experience again:
Household crime (36-27%) Personal crime (26-21%)
• Low police satisfaction levels (53-72%)
Respect (76-88%) Fairness (59-80%)
Impact
• Greater emotional impact: 94-82% emotionally affected Anger (61-57%) Fear (39-15%) Anxiety/panic attacks (22-9%) Depression (24-8%)
Government Equalities Office
Legislative tools• Incitement to hatred
• Race
• Religion
• Sexual Orientation • Racially and Religiously Motivated
Offences• Limited
• Creates unintended hierarchy• Enhanced Sentencing
• Section 145 and 146 Criminal Justice Act 2003
• Racially and Religiously Aggravated Offences
• Law Commission Review
Government Equalities Office
Operational guidance
Government Equalities Office
True Vision• Purpose
provides information to victims, professionals and advocates
provides a library of (free!) resources
allows online reporting (inc. anonymously)
• Library of resources include: information packs reporting tools third party reporting support training materials education packs
• 10,000 visitors per month - 7 pages• 3,400 reports per year
Government Equalities Office
ContactCraig Barnes
LGB&T Policy Adviser
Useful linksGovernment Equalities Office
www.gov.uk/geo
Home Officewww.gov.uk/homeoffice
True Visionwww.report-it.org.uk
