Rise in hate-based violence

2007-08-07 17:29

Cape Town - The Triangle Project says lack of immediate action by police is causing the gay community to lose faith in the justice system, leading to under-reporting of hate crimes.

Triangle Project spokesperson Vista Kalipa said on Tuesday that recent media reports indicated a rise in hate-based violence against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Kalipa said: "Two weeks after the murders of two lesbians in Gauteng, another lesbian was found dead in KwaZulu-Natal.

"The high levels of hate-based violence toward the gay and lesbian community are horrifying and we find it very disconcerting that such crimes occur unchallenged in a country with a very progressive Constitution such as ours."

The lack of a legal definition of hate speech and hate crimes caused a major negative impact on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Fear was instilled in those who were out and open, while some were forced to hide in the closet for fear of being victimised.

A recent study conducted by the Triangle Project - a Cape Town-based organisation serving the LGBT community - in collaboration with the University of SA Centre for Applied Psychology, reported that 83% of respondents most frequently cited homophobia as reason for victimisation, while 30% cited being a woman as reason.

The study further found victims of hate crimes suffered heightened levels of psychological distress compared to victims of similar crimes not motivated by prejudice, Kalipa said.

- SAPA