Today is LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Awareness Day

POLICE forces across the country are showing their support today (Friday, May 28) for LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Awareness Day.

The day aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse in LGBT+ communities and encourage victims to come forward.

And it delivers a very clear message – ‘There’s No Pride In Domestic Abuse’.

It has been launched in the UK by the Co-Chair of the National LGBT+ Police Network PC Amy Tapping and runs alongside similar days taking place across the world.

This follows the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation in Australia setting-up an inaugural awareness day last year, and after speaking to colleagues on the other side of the world, PC Tapping was determined to bring an event closer to home.

She hopes the day will ultimately encourage more victims of abuse to come forward and seek support.

PC Tapping said: “Domestic abuse is significantly under-reported in the LGBT+ community and it is our aim to not only promote the awareness day and encourage more victims to come forward, but we want to go beyond that and continue to build better relations within these communities.

“Many victims are suffering in silence and we want to ensure they know we can provide support and help give them a voice.

“A lot of work is under way nationally to better understand the needs of the LGBT+ community and listen to how we can further support victims of domestic abuse.

“We all have a part to play in protecting vulnerable victims and I would encourage everyone to show their support for this awareness day.

“It is important we all continue to make this commitment year-round and do what we can to support each other – together we can make a real difference.”

Detective Constable Scot Anderson, Co-Chair of the South Wales Branch of the Wales LGBT+ Police Network, agrees that more needs to be done to raise awareness of this issue and work must continue to encourage LGBT+ victims to report crimes to the police.

He said: “We know there is a lot of complicated history between the police and the LGBT+ communities that we serve and it is our goal to work with those communities to form relationships and rebuild any trust that may have been lost.

“The four police services in Wales are committed to protecting LGBT+ victims of crime and are proud to support this Day of Awareness.”

To find out more search National LGBT+ Police Network online.

Reporting hate crime

Hate crimes are crimes like any other, but that have the added distinction that a victim was targeted because of their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.

Victims and witnesses can report incidents to police without fear, please go to:

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Via email: PublicServiceCentre@south-wales.police.uk

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