| Enfield Council is marking International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) on Tuesday 17 May by issuing a rallying call to members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community to assure them it is committed to tackling homophobic hate crime.
A new campaign designed to eradicate all types of hate crime was launched by the Enfield Hate Crime Forum – which is made up of Enfield Council and its partners – in March to tackle verbal and physical abuse, vandalism, bullying, harassment and intimidation perpetrated because of the victim’s race, faith, gender, disability, sexuality or transgender identity.
Now with International Day Against Homophobia almost here, Enfield Council wants members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community to report hate crime perpetrated against them so robust action can be taken against the perpetrator.
The Council works with a number of partner organisations all year round to tackle various kinds of hate crime includinghomophobia. Hate crime is not acceptable and along with our partners the council is trying to increase the number of places that people can go to report hate crime to make it easier for those who have been victims.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Health, Cllr Krystle Fonyonga, said “It is unacceptable that people who suffer homophobic abuse and attacks are too afraid to speak up about their terrible experiences and report them. We do not and will not tolerate hate crime of any type in Enfield and we are determined to build a borough where everyone can live together in harmony.
“On 17 May we will be proudly flying the Rainbow flag from the Civic Centre which will send a clear message that hate crime has no place will be tolerated in Enfield.
“We also hope that this will help victims find their voice and have the courage to come forward and report crimes such as these.”
Local resident Dameon Loukas, 32, from Enfield, knows all about the horrific experience of hate crime. A worker for a local transport company who support individuals with disabilities, he recalled an incident which happened earlier this year when he was helping a man onto one of the buses.
He said: “I was helping a young man when his mother said, ‘I don’t want that poof near my son’. She was right in my face, saying it again and again. It was so aggressive and I didn’t expect it.”
Dameon reported it to his manager and the police took a statement. Last month the case went to court and the woman was found guilty and fined.
Dameon continued: “No matter how difficult it is I would urge anyone who has suffered any kind of homophobic insult or attack to report it, remember it could happen to someone else.
“By standing up for yourself you are standing up for the whole community.”
For more information: http://www.lgbtenfield.org/services/hate-crime-reporting/ |
