From: ljyngltf@aol.com Thu Apr 14 12:44:08 1994 Subject: NGLTF Anti-Violence Fact Sheet National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute ANTI-GAY / LESBIAN / BISEXUAL VIOLENCE FACT SHEET April 1994 update GENERAL OVERVIEW OF ANTI-GAY / LESBIAN / BISEXUAL VIOLENCE: Although anti-gay violence is a long-standing problem, in recent years it has become increasingly widespread. As lesbians, gay men and bisexuals have become more visible and organized, they have made major strides towards equality and freedom. Such increased visibility, however, also has triggered a violent backlash. Reported episodes of anti-gay harassment and violence in six U.S. cities dipped 14% from 2102 incidents in 1992 to 1813 in 1993. This first decrease comes after five years of a dramatic rise in anti-gay violence. Anti-gay violence rose 127 percent during the past six years, even with the 1993 dip. ( "Anti-Gay/Lesbian Violence, Victimization and Harassment in 1993," National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, 1994) "The most frequent victims of hate violence today are blacks, Hispanics, Southeast Asians, Jews, and gays and lesbians. Homosexuals are probably the most frequent victims" (emphasis added, "The Response of the Criminal Justice System to Bias Crime: An Exploratory Review," National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, 1987 ). Among more than 2,000 lesbians, gay men and bisexuals surveyed nationwide, 19 percent reported having been "punched, hit, kicked, or beaten" at least once in their lives because of their sexual orientation. Forty-four percent had been threatened with physical violence and 94 percent experienced some type of victimization. Studies showing similar rates of victimization have been conducted in the cities of Boston, Chicago, the District of Columbia, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Richmond, and in the states of Alaska, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin. ("Anti-Gay/Lesbian Victimization," NGLTF Policy Institute, 1984) In a national poll of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, 7 percent reported having been physically assaulted for being gay or bisexual at least once during the past year. Conducted via telephone using standard survey procedures, this study may well offer the most representative sampling of lesbiatns and gay men ever conducted in the U.S. (San Francisco Examiner, 1989) Gay men, lesbians and bisexuals surveyed in 1988 were victimized at least four times more often than the average rate for the U.S. adult population. (Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force, 1992) AIDS - RELATED VIOLENCE: Since the early 1980s, gay organizations and prevalence studies of anti-gay violence have documented numerous cases of AIDS-related attacks against gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. "Increasingly, violence against those perceived to carry HIV, so-called 'hate crimes,' are a serious problem...and are indicative of a society that is not reacting rationally to the epidemic." ( Presidential Commission on the Human Immunodeficiency Epidemic, 1988) In annual surveys of anti-gay/lesbian violence, between 8 and 17 percent of the incidents documented were AIDS-related. ("Anti-Gay/Lesbian Violence, Victimization and Harassment," NGLTF Policy Institute, annual reports, 1986-1994.) A national survey of people with HIV and AIDS showed that 21% have been the target of violence outside of their homes because of their HIV status and that 12% have suffered violence at home. ("HIV in America: A Profile of the Challenges Facing Americans Living with HIV," National Association of People with AIDS, 1992) VICTIMIZATION ON CAMPUS: Although the campus environment is ideally one in which diversity and pluralism are cherished values, anti-gay harassment is a serious problem at many academic institutions. For example, in studies of lesbian, gay and bisexual victimization at Oberlin (1990), Rutgers (1987), Penn State (1989) and Yale (1986), between three and five percent of respondents had been the target of anti-gay physical assaults at some point in their college careers; 16 to 26 percent had been threatened with violence and 40 to 76 percent had been verbally harassed. ("Anti-Gay/Lesbian Violence, Victimizat ion and Harassment in 1990," NGLTF Policy Institute, 1991) VICTIMIZATION IN THE HOME: The home is another context in which anti-gay harassment and violence occur. According to studies that measure rates of anti-gay abuse by relatives, between 16 and 41 percent of the respondents had experienced verbal insults or intimidation by relatives, and four to eight percent had encountered physical violence as well. ("Hate Crimes: Confronting Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men," K. Berrill and G. Herek, editors. Sage Publications, 1992.) HATE CRIMES LAWS: In 1990, the federal government enacted the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA), which requires the FBI to gather statistics on crimes motivated by bias against the victim, including those based on sexual orientation. The FBI has released national statistics collected in 1991 and 1992 under the HCSA. In 1991, the FBI reported that 422 or 8.9% of the 4,755 reported hate crimes in 1991 were committed against lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Nine hundred and thirty one or 11% of the 8,075 incidents the FBI reported for 1992 were commi [text is abridged at this point - RAD, 4/19/94]