Developing Effective Response to LGBT* Hate Crimes 2015 07 – 2016 12

Fear of being mistreated or discriminated by law enforcement officials or victim support providers is one of the main reasons for huge rate of unreported cases of SOGI motivated HC. The project was aimed at generating increased accessibility of knowledge for the national authorities on addressing hate crimes (HC) on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI). This aim was reached in implementing the following project work plan:

  • Integrating the anonymous online reporting form into the website providing for the capacity to collect records of SOGI motivated HC;
  • Developing of toolkit for law enforcement officials and victim support providers;
  • Conducting trainings for legal practitioners as well as representatives of victim support services;
  • Analyzing data collected in the course of the project and assessing the needs regarding the establishment of LGBT* shelter with the view of providing specifically tailored victim support services.

Thanks to this project the direct beneficiaries: law-enforcement officials and victim support services received tools and competences applicable in their everyday work and necessary to accommodate the needs and hate crime victims and better investigate the crimes.

The project also ensured the protection of rights of the ultimate beneficiaries which are HC victims and thus they will be more likely to report crimes without fear of disrespect or victimization which will positively affect law enforcement and improve safety and living conditions of EU citizens.

In the first part of the project a questionnaire was developed and published on lgl.lt, in order to collect and organize information about experiences of the hate crime victims in Lithuania. Moreover, to promote the questionnaire, a leaflet was produced. Such leaflet will provide answers to everyone such questions as: what is hate crime, how can hate crime manifest, what does Lithuanian national legislation say about such form of crime,  what are recommendations for people who witness or experience these crimes.

In addition to that, to promote effective implementation of the project, representatives from National LGBT* organization LGL, other NGOs working in the field of human rights and Lithuanian Criminal Police, Prosecutor General’s Office and Ministry of Internal Affairs participated in the meeting on November 12th to discuss hate crime prevention and criminal investigation.

On the final stage of the project LGL together with project partners prepared a special methodology for the training for the law enforcement professionals.

Toolkit for the Law Enforcement Bodies: Accomodating the Needs of the Victims of Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crimes, 2016

 

The Impact of Hate Crime: Understanding the Needs of Persons Who Experience Homophobic or Transphobic Violence or Harrasment, 2016

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