|
(St. Paul) - Hate and bias-related crimes targeting the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender (GLBT) communities continue to rise across the
nation and here in Minnesota, according to a report documenting
anti-GLBT violence released by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence
Programs (NCAVP) and OutFront Minnesota. OutFront Minnesota is the
state's primary direct service and public policy agency for the GLBT
community and its allies.
"The 1,792 anti-GLBT incidents reported to NCAVP from across the county
represented a 4% increase over the previous year," said Rebecca Waggoner
Kloek, who coordinates OutFront Minnesota's Anti-Violence program. "In
Minnesota, though the number of victims fell 7%, the increase in
offenders, grouped with a significant rise in weapon use and a 38%
increase in assaults, resulted in an overall 300% increase in serious
injury to victims as well as a 71% increase in the reporting of GLBT
hate and bias related crimes in Minnesota." Waggoner Kloek attributed
this increase in reporting in part to OutFront Minnesota Anti-Violence
Program's expanded outreach efforts and increased visibility throughout
the GLBT communities within the past few years.
In addition, the increase in severe attacks on GLBT individuals reflects
the tenor of the current political climate, states OutFront Minnesota
Executive Director Ann M. DeGroot.
"When political and religious leaders use their visibility in order to
denigrate GLBT people, and to claim that they and their families
constitute ‘threats' to the broader community, some people will
unfortunately take this as permission to discriminate against, harass,
or even attack GLBT residents," says DeGroot. "Though most leaders
refrain from encouraging violence, it is a fact that vitriolic rhetoric
contributes to a toxic environment that breeds violence."
An encouraging aspect of the report, says Waggoner Kloek, is that those
who report incidents to law enforcement officials increasingly describe
those encounters positively. "Many in the GLBT community have
historically been reluctant to call the police when an incident occurs,
for fear of a negative reaction, but these data suggest that this
concern is increasingly misplaced," she says.
"We look forward to a day when reports of this kind will no longer be
necessary," reflects DeGroot. "We continue to work for a Minnesota in
which each person has access to safe workplaces, schools, and
communities, where nobody need fear assault because of who they are."
Related Links and Press Packet Materials:
- National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
Report
- OutFront Minnesota Narratives
(PDF File, 90Kb)
- Summaries of Report:
National
(PDF File, 112Kb)and
Minnesota
(PDF File, 109Kb)
- Tower of Violence
Handout
(PDF File, 68Kb)
- Prepared
statement by Scott Fearing, Senior Director OutFront Minnesota
(PDF File, 29Kb)
- Remarks by Lisa
Lane of Tolerance Minnesota, JCRC (MS Word, 38Kb)
- "The Dangers of a Same-Sex Marriage Referendum for Community
and Individual Well-Being: A Summary of Research Finding", Institute
for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies.
Press Release
(PDF File, 38Kb) and
Report
(PDF File, 117Kb).
Contact:
Ann M. DeGroot, Executive Director
(612) 822-0127, ext. 107
Rebecca Waggoner Kloek, Coordinator
OutFront Minnesota Anti-Violence Program
(612) 822-0127, ext. 101
|
