A Sad Rise in Homophobic Hate Crimes

Here's some unsettling news; the FBI reports that there was an increase in anti-gay hate crimes in 2007, (the most recent year data is available).

According to the report:

Of the 1,512 victims targeted due to a sexual-orientation bias, 58.9% were victims of an offender’s anti-male homosexual bias, according to the FBI. 24.8% were victims of an anti-homosexual bias, 13.0% were victims of an anti-female homosexual bias. 1.8 percent were victims of an anti-heterosexual bias and 1.5 percent were victims of an anti-bisexual bias.

These stats demonstrate a 6% increase from the previous year!

So what can be done? One thing is to pass protective legislation. We need to see sexual orientation protected by hate crime laws and the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act.

It is also always wise to take personal safety precautions. Be aware of your settings, go out in groups, and if a situation makes you uncomfortable, don't worry about seeming rude, just leave.

Depending on the outcome of next week's election, some of those legislative changes might actually become realities. Here's to hoping that 2007 hate crime rise will just be remembered as an anomaly.