Homophobic and transphobic crime
What is homophobic harassment?
At Nottinghamshire Police, we define homophobic harassment as ‘any incident which is perceived to be homophobic by the victim or any other person’. If you, or someone you know, have been subject to any sort of homophobic harassment, the police will deal with it as a homophobic incident.
What to do if you’re the victim of homophobic harassment
· Contact the police on 101 or contact one of the other organisations in the list below
· Tell the police if you believe it to be a homophobic incident
· Get the name and number of the officer you speak to. This will be useful if you need to contact the officer again, or if you need to talk to other agencies
· Keep a record of what the police do and tell you as the case progresses
· Make sure you are given a crime number (this may not be available immediately, so officers may have to give you this at a later date)
· Don’t touch anything that might be used as evidence eg. Weapons, clothes, letters and leaflets. The police may be able to use this in your case
· Keep a record of the incident(s), perhaps using a desk diary. Include every detail you can remember eg. Date, time, place, description of offenders, actual words used and how it affected you (injured, frightened etc.)
This will help you if you need to make a statement, rather than having to remember details at a later date
· If you are unable to take photographs yourself, ask for photographs to be taken of anything that shows what has happened e.g. Damage to property, graffiti and so on. The police and some councils are able to do this
· If there are any witnesses, get their names and addresses. Ask them to write down what they saw and heard, and sign it
· If anyone is injured, make sure they see a doctor or visit a hospital – and make sure any visible injuries are photographed
· Keep a record of any expenses (fares to hospital, loss of earnings etc.) Claims for compensation can be made at court
· Consider contacting an LGBT organisation if you’d like some support
Reporting homophobic incidents
Some victims of homophobic harassment aren’t sure whether an incident is serious enough to report it to the police. If you’re a victim, you might feel angry, frustrated, isolated, helpless or scared.
Nottinghamshire Police and the Nottingham Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Advisory Group encourage victims to report every incident – you shouldn’t have to put up with it. We take harassment seriously, and we will investigate all incidences.
Ways to report an incident
· In an emergency, when a crime is in progress or life is in danger, call 999
· If the crime has already taken place call your local police station on 101
· Visit a police station and tell us in person
· If you’d prefer not to report the incident yourself, a friend, relative or witness can report it for you
When you report a homophobic incident, we’ll arrange for an officer to see you at a time and place that suits you.
Other organisations who can help
There are many organisations that offer help, support and action against racist harassment:
Stop Hate Line
24 hour helpline: 0800 138 1625 www.stophateuk.org
Councils
Your local council can help if you’re being harassed or discriminated against. The council have a responsibility to all residents, not just their tenants. You can find their contact details in the local phone book.
Solicitors
Solicitors can help you take civil action to stop people harassing you, by asking a court for an injunction. Injunctions are useful because you can get them very quickly, plus a civil court doesn’t need the same amount of proof for an injunction that the police need to prosecute someone. Some solicitors give their first advice for free – you can find them in the phone book.
Nottingham Lesbian & Gay Switchboard
0115 934 8485 or 01623 621515
The Switchboard provides information on social facilities, support groups, coming out, accommodation, legal issues, HIV/AIDS or you can just call for a talk. The switchboard also offers third party reporting of homophobic incidents and follow-up support.
Healthy Gay Nottingham
0115 947 6868
Healthy Gay Nottingham provides one to one support for gay and bisexual men on sexuality and sexual health issues. It also offers third party reporting of homophobic incidents and follow-up support.
Victim Support
0845 4503 899
Victim Support has volunteers who are specially trained to understand the effects of homophobic crime. Its services are free and totally confidential.
Nottingham Police Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Advisory Group
101 Ext 800 2606
The advisory group liases with the police on issues affecting the local LGBT community. The above agencies can raise general concerns at meetings.
What can the police do?
Incidents will be investigated using all the powers available to the police against crime. This may involve taking statements from witnesses, getting forensic evidence (fingerprints and DNA samples) and interviewing suspects.
Wherever possible, the police will arrest suspects in homophobic harassment cases. When suspects are charged, conditions of bail may be imposed to prevent further harassment.
The police will also support civil action taken by other agencies, such as evictions and injunctions.
In addition to laws available to the police, such as assault and damage, the Public Order act makes it illegal for people to threaten you with violence or to act in a deliberately abusive or insulting way towards you. Deliberate harassment is also against the law, and if someone deliberately harasses you on more than one occasion it is illegal under the Protection from Harassment Act.
What you can expect from Nottinghamshire Police
· You’ll be seen in person by a police officer who will record and investigate the incident. If you say it’s homophobic, the officer will accept this without question
· To be treated fairly, honestly and with respect at all times
· To be kept informed about how the investigation progresses
· If we say something will be done, it will be
· Investigations will be done professionally, and with your agreement, offenders will be prosecuted in every possible case
· You’ll be contacted regularly by your local beat officer
· Officers will let you know the outcome of the investigation in person
· You’ll have the chance to let us know what you think about the way we dealt with your case
If you need to make a complaint
At Nottinghamshire Police, we want to make sure every victim of homophobic harassment is satisfied with the service they receive. If you aren’t happy about the way your case is being handled, first tell the officer so they can try and put things right.
If you’re still unhappy, contact the Neighbourhood Policing Inspector who’s responsible for policing in your area. Find out who they are by calling 101.
If this doesn’t resolve your concerns, you can make a formal complaint by speaking to an inspector at your local police station, or by writing to the Chief Constable at Sherwood Lodge, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 8PP.
