Woman punched in the face in ‘homophobic attack’ could suffer permanent damage to her sight
Bournemouth, England, police are currently scoping for a man in relation to a ‘homophobic attack’ against a woman. (Dorset Police)
A queer woman punched in the face in a ‘homophobic attack’ might suffer permanent damage to her vision as a result.
The victim, aged in her 20s, was battered in the back and front of her head in Bournemouth, England.
She suffered swelling to the eye socket and had to receive medical treatment.
According to the Bournemouth Echo, she was assaulted in the early morning of 25 September.
What happened?
At around 5am and 6am, she was involved in the altercation at York Road, a quiet residential street just downtown of the city’s main train station.
Local police have released a CCTV image of the man they would like to speak to in relation to the incident.
A woman was punched in an alleged homophobic assault along York Road, Bournemouth, England. (PinkNews)
PC Rebecca Walker-Date, of Bournemouth police, said: “This incident was understandably very upsetting for the victim and as a result of the assault, she may have sustained permanent damage to her eyesight.
“It is believed that she may have been targeted because of her sexual orientation and enquiries are underway to locate the offender.
“I am issuing a CCTV image of a man I would like to speak to as he may have been in the area at the time of the assault and have information to assist my investigation.
“I would urge anyone who recognises him to please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police on 101, quoting occurrence number 55190151000.
Homophobic and transphobic hate crime has soared in England and Wales.
The incident comes at a disquieting time for the England and Wales’ LGBT+ citizens.
In both patches of the UK, homophobic hate crimes have more than doubled in the last five years.
However, these numbers understate the problem, activists warn.
Many incidents of violence against the LGBT+ community goes unreported and is a “huge issue”, said Stonewall in a statement earlier this year.
