We are committed to making sure everything is done to tackle hate crimes in our city, with a focus across all six equality strands: age, gender, disability, religion & belief, race and sexual orientation.
Tackling hate crimes
"London is known around the world as a place where people can be who they want to be. Homophobic attacks and other hate crimes must not be tolerated and we are committed to working with the Metropolitan Police Service to ensure that they are dealt with rigorously."
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
Our city is renowned for its freedom, diversity and tolerance and we are wholeheartedly committed to making sure that everything possible is done to tackle homophobic and other hate crimes.
Homophobic Hate Crimes
According to Scotland Yard statistics, 1,192 homophobic offences were recorded in the 12 months to September 2009, compared to 1,008 in the same period last year. This is a rise of 18.3%.
The Mayor and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner take the issue very seriously. Measures to tackle homophobic crime include third party reporting and increased sanctioned detection rates, raising staff and community awareness and increasing efforts to encourage the community to report attacks.
Working together
Working with partners, the Met have been able to set up third party reporting protocols, engage through local safer neighbourhood teams and continue to support the use of LGBT liaison officers in London boroughs. This has seen an increase in detection rates in relation to this type of crime.
"We must keep hate crime high on the agenda across London if we are to ensure perpetrators are held to account and reduce the risk of it happening in the first place. So I would urge anyone affected by, or witnessing a hate crime, to report it."
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
The Mayor's Office is committed to working with London LGBT communities and to tackling hate crime. The Mayor provided funding to Stonewall to produce and disseminate an anti-homophobic bullying DVD to all secondary schools in London, as well as backing Stonewall youth events at City Hall. The Mayor has also provides funding for the annual Pride celebrations. The Deputy Mayor chairs quarterly meetings with London’s LGBT communities and the annual trans meeting at City Hall. Other activities include support for the FYi radio event, the Various Voices event at the South Bank and the London LGBT Film Festival.
