Home Office grants will support hate crime victims
More than £100,000 of government funding has been awarded to groups working with LGBT communities across the UK to support victims of homophobia and other forms of hate crime.
The funding from the Home Office has been given to a range of community and campaign groups.
The Intercom Trust was given the largest grant, £28,290, to fund their work in rural south west England.
They are to create a network of LGBT agencies and develop partnerships with Criminal Justice System agencies.
Stonewall will be given £26,900 to carry out national research into the nature and extent of homophobic and transphobic hate crime.
Liverpool Culture Company secured £25,000 funding for a violence prevention education programme to support to victims of hate crime, young people and teachers, and to tackle homophobic bullying and increase reporting.
Hounslow Community Support Partnership will use their £15,000 grant to fund a London Underground advertising campaign encouraging people to report homophobic hate crime.
The Gender Identity Research and Education Society has been awarded £2,750 to develop specific guidance for teachers on combating transphobic bullying.
Finally, the £20,000 granted to the Partnership Community Safety Team in Brighton will be used to increase reporting of hate crimes across a range of groups, including gypsy and travelling people.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
“Victims are firmly at the heart of the criminal justice system and we are committed to ensuring that they have the support that they need.
“In April this year we announced an increased investment to help provide victims of all crimes with immediate, practical support that is tailored to their individual need.
“However we recognise that the nature of some crimes means that there are victims who require additional specialist support.
“This injection of funding from the Victims Fund will help hate crime and homicide groups work in partnership with statutory agencies to meet the needs of these victims.”
A total of £500,000 is being awarded to hate crime and homicide support groups across the country in this round of funding.
