LGBT hate crime doubles across Cumbria

June marks international Pride month, established decades ago by activists keen to shine a light on the intolerance and abuse faced by LGBT+ communities.

But far from being consigned to history, the issues faced then remain a challenge, with a growing number of people still persecuted over their sexuality or gender identity.

Amid a national rise in hate crime, the N&S heard reports of individuals being spat on in the street, abused on public transport and assaulted.

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Stark statistics suggest Cumbria Constabulary tackle an average of two LGBT+ hate crimes a week.

And one Cumbrian politician fears the figures represent just “the tip of an iceberg”, with the true scale of the problem likely to be far higher.

Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, more than 2,600 hate crimes were tackled by Cumbria Constabulary – and a quarter of them were directed at gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people.

More than 600 hate crimes linked to a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity were logged by the force in that time.

Campaigners and police said improved recording and reporting measures have contributed to the rise – but warned that the problem remains significantly underreported.

Cumbria Constabulary’s hate crime lead, Chief Inspector Matt Scott, said the public were becoming more confident in reporting hate crime – but said reporting incidents could still be a daunting process at a distressing time.

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More than 150 offences linked to a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity were recorded during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the most recent available data.

That is up from 76 five years before and is the equivalent of 31 hate crimes for every 100,000 people in Cumbria – a rise from 15 in 2016-17.

CI Scott said those guilty of such crimes should expect to be held to account for their actions.

He added: “Hate crime is never tolerated in Cumbria and we take all reports seriously.

“Targeting a person because of who they are is unacceptable.”

He urged victims to report their experiences to police or via a trusted third party, saying: “We are here to help and listen, even if you do not wish to take the investigation forward.”

Cllr Tim Pickstone

Cllr Tim Pickstone, Liberal Democrat leader on Cumberland Council, described the figures unearthed by the News & Star as “very worrying”.

He added: “My fear is that this is only the ’tip of the iceberg’, with many crimes going un-reported. 

“Everyone in Cumbria has a right to live without the fear of being a victim of hate crime.

“I would urge any members of our local LGBT communities to report any incidents of hate crime when they occur.

“Just as importantly our local police must take those reports seriously and investigate to prosecution wherever possible."

National LGBT+ charity Stonewall echoed Cllr Pickstone’s comments and called on “the silent majority of Britons” to actively challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic rhetoric.

Associate director of communications and external affairs, Sasha Misra, said: “Hate does not occur in a vacuum, and we know that it’s fueled by a small but vocal minority that are emboldened by hateful rhetoric and misleading media narratives.”

To report hate crime, contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Support is also available in Cumbria from organisations including Victim Support and OutREACH Cumbria.