Complaints of insults, threats or attacks against LGBT + people have doubled in five years, according to data published by the Ministry of the Interior on Monday May 16, on the eve of the World Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
In 2021, 2,170 crimes and offenses against lesbian, gay, bis and transgender people were recorded by the police and the gendarmerie, to which must be added 1,620 fines, more than 90% for insult or defamation. This is 12% more than in 2019 and 28% more than in 2020, according to statistics.
In its annual report, the association mentions “spitting”an intensification of beatings and even rape, as well as a “alarming upsurge in cases in schools (…), in shops or within the police and justice”. Notable fact this year, more than 15% of the situations reported concern transgender people, which, according to SOS Homophobia, demonstrates the need for more training for the professionals concerned.
These figures are only “the tip of the iceberg”, also notes Flora Bolter, from the LGBT + observatory of the Jean Jaurès Foundation. According to the “Living environment and security” survey, only 20% of victims file a complaint in the event of aggression or threats, and 5% in the event of insult: the people concerned “blame”are afraid of being badly received by the police or are faced with a minimization of the facts they denounce, analyzes Lucile Jomat, the president of the association SOS Homophobia.
Lesbian, gay, bi, trans or intergender people are “increasingly visible, which contributes to trivialization”but the “reverse of visibility” is an increased risk of assault that often leaves victims “traumatized and distraught”adds this manager.