A new report has revealed that more than half of LGBTQ+ people in the UK do not feel safe holding hands in public.
Research for Stonewall found 56 per cent of queer couples refrain from holding hands in public because of the prejudice they could face. The findings come as part of the charity’s Hold My Hand campaign, which calls on the government to address the rise in LGBTQ+ hate crimes.
“Even something as simple as reaching out to hold their partner’s hand now feels unsafe,” a Stonewall spokesperson said. “Everyone deserves to go about their daily lives free from the fear of abuse and harassment, no matter their identities.”
The campaign comes after the Home Office revealed in 2023 that hate crimes based on sexual orientation in England and Wales had risen by 112 per cent over the past five years. Offences against trans people rose by 186 per cent over the same period.
More than half of reported hate crimes were for public order offences, while 41 per cent involved violence and five per cent were recorded as criminal damage.
As part of its campaign, Stonewall is urging the government to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes an aggravated offence so that its protections are similar to those based on religion or race, which, the spokesperson said, is “in line with the Law Commission’s recommendations”. The group called for a hate crime strategy and action plan, to mitigate rising numbers and remove barriers to any under-reporting.
“It’s time for MPs to take action to stop the rising hate and challenge the government to make society safer for the LGBTQ+ community,” they said, and recommended that queer people concerned with the rise in hate crimes send an email to their local MP, pressing them to address the issue.
“Please personalise this email as much as possible. Tell your MP why this issue matters to you, by including any experiences faced by yourself. And remember to include your postal address for maximum impact.”
So far, 584 people have contacted their MP, as part of the campaign, according to Stonewall.
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