hate crime awareness week

October the 14th- 21st marks Hate Crime Awareness Week. At akt, we want to promote awareness about how homophobic and transphobic hate crimes can be a leading cause of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness.

what is hate crime awareness week and why is it so important?

Tragically, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are currently on the rise in the UK.

Between 2021-2022, anti-abuse charity Galop reported that there had been a 41% increase in hate crimes against LGB people, and a 56% increase in hate crimes against trans+ people in the UK.

Hate Crime Awareness Week is important because it highlights the damage hate crimes do to people and communities. The week is about educating people on what hate crimes are, their consequences, and why reporting them matters.

At akt, we have seen first hand the devastating effects hate crimes can have on LGBTQ+ young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. Many of the LGBTQ+ young people we support recognised abuse and hate crimes within the home as being a leading cause of their homelessness.

additional barriers and why hate crimes can cause homelessness

LGBTQ+ hate crimes can lead to homelessness for young people for multiple reasons, a main one being family rejection. Many of the LGBTQ+ young people we support are kicked out of their homes by family members, or feel forced to leave because their families don’t accept them. Many also face constant bullying, harassment, or violence, whether at school, work or in the community, making it too stressful or unsafe to stay at home.

LGBTQ+ young people face additional barriers when experiencing homelessness. When it comes to finding a place to live, LGBTQ+ young people sometimes face discrimination from housing services, where they may feel misunderstood or unwelcome by staff who aren’t equipped to support those who have experienced hate crimes. They may also be at risk of experiencing homophobic or transphobic hate crimes from neighbours or flatmates in their new accommodation.

When accessing mainstream services, our research has found that:

• 30% of LGBTQ+ young people felt that services did not understand how to support them because of their gender identity.
• 60% of LGBTQ+ felt that staff did not understand why they were homeless
• 80% of LGBTQ+ young people did not feel supported when accessing services

On top of that, the emotional impact of being targeted by a hate crime for being LGBTQ+ can lead to mental health struggles like anxiety or depression, which can make it hard to keep stable housing.