Description
This is a project focusing on combating all forms of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It will accomplish the aforementioned objective through: Offering information and support to empower victims of discrimination in order to be able to proceed to any legal or other actions desired/deemed appropriate, building the capacity of NGOs to support victims of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. We will also be highlighting the problem of LGBTQ-targeted violence and discrimination and the lack of initiative from the state through the collection of reported incidents of violence and discrimination, raising awareness of the general public and particularly amongst young people with respect to the aforementioned problems. Special emphasis will be given in supporting and training LGBTQ youth groups and giving priority to their rights as a socially vulnerable group. This project aims to support, inform and raise awareness on the issue of hate crimes and the needs of the LGBTQ community.
Summary of project results
The LGBTQI+ youth is a particularly vulnerable social group and a frequent target of hate crimes. It is often observed that victims do not take any action after the incident and the most common reason for that is their psychological condition, the lack of information about their options, and the devaluation of the seriousness of the incident as unworthy of complaint. In accordance with the youth unemployment and the frequent lack of support from the immediate family, the young LGBTQI+ s often cannot afford to seek legal or psychological support. The project has contributed to inform victims about their options and providing them with more support, empowering them to formally report the incident if they so wished. Additionally, it collected data on violent incidents against LGBTQI+ youth, in order to highlight the issue to the competent bodies to deal with it. During the implementation of the project (considering that the organization is active only in Attica Region), 98 incidents of violence and/or discrimination on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression and/or sexual orientation with 123 victims, were recorded. Victims were provided with free legal and/or psychological support by qualified professionals. This is the largest number of such incidents to be systematically recorded in Greece. The projects’ data received wide publicity and were reported to relevant institutions, accompanied by specific and feasible policy proposals to combat hate crimes and social exclusion and discrimination on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression and/or sexual orientation, such as in the Annual Report of the Racist Violence Recording Network for 2015. Furthermore, during the implementation of the project, training workshops were organized for members, staff and volunteers of organizations that support LGBTQI+ people, so that Colour Youth organization could transfer its know-how in identifying and recording incidents of violence and/or discrimination to other stakeholders.
Summary of bilateral results