NCJ Number
135683
Date Published
1991
Length
44 pages
Annotation
Anti-gay violence in 1990 was on the rise as reflected in data collected from gay and lesbian victim assistance agencies in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, and San Francisco.
Abstract
A true measure of incidents of violence at the national level is not possible because no national data collection organization exists. This report focuses on the local statistics in the aforementioned six cities and serves as an indicator for national trends. Though the rise in anti-gay violence may be attributed to increased reporting and revised documentation methods, such growth in episodes, including physical assaults and serious crimes, shows how critical and widespread the problem has become. A rise in general hate crimes and backlash against gay rights activism are factors which may account for the crisis growing. Recommendations for action against anti-gay violence include passage of State and local laws to counteract crimes. The Federal Hate Crime Statistics Act with its "sexual orientation" provision is a significant victory in protecting the rights of gays. 19 tables, 3 maps, and 24 references