Northern Ireland homophobic incidents up 12% since last year
The latest figures from the Police Service of Northern Ireland has revealed reported homophobic incidents are up since last year.
The figures, which were originally published in August, reveal a 12% jump in homophobic incidents reported to the police, from 294 in 2013/2014 to 329 in 2014/2015.
Caitriona Ruane, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sinn Féin and member of the Northern Ireland Police Board, raised the numbers to the Newry Times.
“I raised the issue homophobic crime at the latest meeting of the Policing Board and was dismayed to hear that there has been a 12% rise in the number of incidents reported to the PSNI,” she told the paper.
“I am however pleased that there has also been a similar rise in the outcome rate in the cases of homophobic crime.
“There can be no tolerance of homophobic or other hate crimes in our society and I would appeal to people to report any such incidents to the PSNI.”
Northern Ireland legislatures voted in the majority for the adoption of same-sex marriage in the country earlier this month, but the Democratic Unionists Party (DUP) blocked it through a ‘petition of concern’.
This lead to accusations from several LGBT groups that the DUP was “abusing” powers granted via the peace process.
