For Immediate Release March 11, 2004 Post-Lawrence Rise in Anti-Gay Hate Never Abated 53% Rise in Anti-LGTB Bias at End of 2003
New York – According to data from the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), the dramatic increase in reports of hate incidents targeting the City's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population noted in the weeks following the US Supreme Court's decision in the Lawrence v. Texas case, which struck down sodomy laws across the nation, continued through the end of 2003.
"According to our preliminary data, run in preparation for production of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Program's (NCAVP) annual report on anti-LGTB violence, there was a 53% increase in the number of LGTB hate victims and a 43% increase in the number of incidents in New York City in the last six months of 2003, when compared with the same period in 2002," said Clarence Patton, AVP's Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy, and NCAVP's Acting Executive Director. "With respect to the areas of the city experiencing the most significant increases during that period, all boroughs charted increases in incidents. Staten Island, typically the borough with the smallest number of reports, recorded a 100% increase in incidents, while Brooklyn and Queens each saw a 42% increase; the Bronx and Manhattan closely followed at 41% and 36% respectively," continued Patton. "In September, we noted that in addition to the post-Lawrence increase seen here in New York, there were spikes in anti-gay violence in Detroit and Toronto. That trend is now confirmed to have been more widespread than we knew at that time. Six out of ten programs submitting data this year show increases in incidents for the last six months of the year, with some reversing what had been downward trends through June," said Patton.
"We know that some of the rise in reports in New York City is both the result of the tremendous work of our outreach team of staff and volunteers, as well as a more empowered lesbian, gay and transgender community willing to report incidents. However, after the Supreme Court's decision in June, we knew we would have to ready ourselves for the violent response of bigots against our greater freedom and visibility," noted Richard Haymes, AVP's Executive Director. "Clearly, that brutal backlash which we confirmed last fall, continued through the end of the year," continued Haymes. "And now with so much anti-Gay Marriage rhetoric flying and the President essentially calling on Congress, state legislatures and the American people to go to war against lesbians and gay men by approving an amendment to the Constitution that will codify our second-class citizenship, we will probably continue to be targeted at record levels," added Haymes.
"Hateful rhetoric turns into hateful acts, and there is clearly a problem here in New York City that absolutely needs to be addressed. Even according to the NYPD, anti-lesbian and gay reports rose 29% in all of 2003, but rose a frightening 82% in the last six months of the year – this is simply unacceptable. AVP hopes to work with all of the City's leadership in expanding our commitments to 'zero tolerance' of hate, and developing strategies to put an end to this trend of increasing violence," concluded Haymes.
AVP's Hate Violence Reports from 1998 through 2002 are available for download on our Publications page, or by calling 212-714-1184. The 2003 Hate Violence Report will be released in late April 2004.
The New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) is the nation's largest service agency for victims of bias crimes against the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected communities. For twenty-three years, AVP has provided counseling and advocacy for thousands of victims of bias-motivated violence as well as for survivors of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, HIV-related violence, and police misconduct. AVP documents incidents of violence against and within LGTB communities, educates the public about the effects of violence, against or within our communities, and works to reform public policies impacting all lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected people. AVP provides free and confidential assistance to crime victims through our 24-hour bilingual hotline (212-714-1141). | |||||||||||
