Day: December 20, 2013

The Government is amending the ‘Children and Families’ Bill, bringing positive change to the care system.

Broken Rainbow UK, the LGBT domestic violence charity, urges LGBT people to consider fostering and adoption to support young LGBT people in foster care due to domestic violence and abuse.

Federico Podeschi, CEO at Broken Rainbow said: “Existing data suggests that LGBT+ young people enter into the child welfare and juvenile justice systems at a disproportionate rate, due to discrimination and mistreatment at home, in school, and in social settings.

“Increasing the number of LGBT foster carers and affirming homes for all youth, including LGBT+ youth in foster care, and improving policies and practices specific to supporting LGBT+ children, youth, and families, is imperative for the future of our communities.”

Research undertaken by Broken Rainbow UK indicates that up to 71% of LGBT+ young people have experienced domestic violence or abuse.

Federico who will be leaving Broken Rainbow at the end of December to become a foster carer with his partner, continued: “There needs to be more effort and investment in preparing and supporting young people before, during, and after they come out to their families. A key way to provide this support is an education system that embraces sexual orientation and gender identity diversity, combined with more funding for organisations like Broken Rainbow UK that often rely on disproportionately lower opportunities to secure sustainable income and donations.”

Sussex Police force has been named as one of only three police forces in England and Wales to record an increase in reporting across all five forms of hate crime monitored by police – disability, race, religious belief, sexual orientation and transgender.

Hate Crime can be in the form of verbal abuse, physical assault, domestic abuse, harassment and damage to property.

Deputy Chief Constable Giles York, said: “This is positive news . We are determined to increase people’s confidence in reporting so that victims get the support they need. We have made reporting as accessible and straight-forward as possible and staff are trained to identify hate crime and incidents at the earliest possible opportunity. “Last year we saw an increase in reporting of 13% – 681 in 2011/12 and 786 in 2012/13 – and since April this year the trend is increasing which is again positive. However, we know that this is an area with significant under reporting and we are working closely with community groups to increase reporting, widen awareness and build confidence with victims to help bring offenders to justice. “Our message to offenders is that it will not be tolerated. Hate crimes are abhorrent and we will target you. “Victims, family and friends we urge you not to suffer in silence. Talk to us we can help.” 
  


Commenting on the increase in reporting, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, said: “It is very encouraging to know that Sussex Police is only one of three police forces who have seen an increase in reporting across all five strands of hate crime. “Usually this crime is under-reported and that is why it is a priority in my Police & Crime Plan. I am determined to build public confidence and trust in the police and criminal justice system for everyone. However, I know that many minority groups have not always had the same trust in the police. The process of re-building this trust by increasing the reporting of hate crime can only be achieved when police and relevant organisations work together.” The number of reported hate crimes has increased from 2011/12 to 2012/3: race 520 to 564; religion 23 to 35; sexual orientation 111 to 119; disability 23 to 48; and transgender 4 to 20.   This week’s report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Home Office and Ministry of Justice details recorded hate crime by force and by the five monitored forms of hate crime classifications used by the criminal justice system. A hate crime is any criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

The Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee has rejected amendments supported by opponents of same-sex marriage in Scotland, which the Equality Network says are unnecessary and would have ‘reintroduced discrimination and rolled back LGBT equality’.

The Committee was tasked with considering amendments to the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill before MSPs vote on a final version of the Bill early next year.

The rejected amendments included proposals supported by the Scotland for Marriage campaign to allow civil registrars and all other public sector workers to refuse to serve same-sex couples, and to single out opposition to same-sex marriage as a belief particularly ‘worthy of respect’ in the law but not equally protect other beliefs.

Two amendments supported by the Equality Network, the Scottish LGBT equality charity, were agreed unanimously by the Committee, including an amendment to allow couples with foreign civil partnerships to convert them to a marriage in Scotland, and one to allow religious and belief bodies to use gender-neutral language in marriage ceremonies if they wish.

Tom French, Policy Coordinator for the Equality Network, said: “Scotland’s equal marriage bill will provide a fair balance of rights and freedoms for all. We are very pleased that the Scottish Parliament today made the right choice to reject unnecessary amendments that would have reintroduced discrimination and rolled back equality for LGBT people.”

Last month MSPs voted in favour of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill at stage one by an overwhelming majority of 98 in favour to 15 votes against.

The vote was a ‘free vote’, meaning that MSPs were not guided or ‘whipped’ by their parties to vote either way.

Those voting for equal marriage included the leaders of every political party represented in the Scottish Parliament. Opinion polls have shown consistent public support for same-sex marriage across Scotland. A poll conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Equality Network in June 2012 showed 64% of Scots in favour of same-sex marriage, with just 26% opposed. Separate polls conducted over the past four years by Populus, YouGov, Angus Reid, and the independent Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, have all shown similar levels of support.