REPORTING HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENTS:- CORNWALL
(There are those in the Cornwall Gay Community who KNOWN a homophobic incident can result in twice the abuse, 1st by the original perpetrator, 2nd by Cornwall police attitudes & practises towards gay persons)
The below is taken from the Devon based 'Intercom Trust' site:-
Why are (homophobic*) incidents not being reported?
The root problem is that many LGB/T people feel we have inherited a long history of absolutely justified distrust of the police and the whole criminal justice system. It's true that what went on throughout the last century was horrendous; and it's also true that in some places the same kind of prejudice can still be found today. We've seen it in operation ourselves.
But things have moved on. There has been real progress, both locally and nationally. However, it's proved really difficult to spread good news to those who most need to hear it. (See below.)
According to the Firmer Foundation survey mentioned above, over 60% of LGB/T people would or might be deterred from reporting an incident by any or all of these three anxieties:
1. that the police wouldn't take it seriously
2. that they'd encounter a phobic reaction from a police officer
that information about their sexual orientation or gender identity might be stored in a file.
3. Even at the lowest end of the scale, 36% say they would or might be deterred simply by the thought of having to come Out to a police officer.
It is clearly a primary challenge for the police to find ways of dealing with these anxieties. Otherwise a very large minority of people in the rural South West are going to go on feeling barred from accessing justice, or even help. And we believe that to solve these problems, they need the help of the LGB/T communities.
In general, Intercom does believe there's been a lot of real progress from where we were ten years ago. There have been changes that could make a real difference to us all. Have a look at our page on the criminal justice system. We believe that LGB/T people in Devon and Cornwall are now more likely --- far more likely than, say, six or ten years ago --- to be treated equally with other citizens when we report an incident, and to find the incident being taken seriously from the word "go".
One problem is therefore that the great majority of LGB/T people in the peninsula don't know that things have changed. Another problem is that things still haven't changed enough: more real progress needs to be made.
The above is what Intercom Trust has to say...
HOWEVER..
Intercom Quote:
"The root problem is that many LGB/T people feel we have inherited a long history of absolutely justified distrust of the police and the whole criminal justice system. It's true that what went on throughout the last century was horrendous; and it's also true that in some places the same kind of prejudice can still be found today."
Pink Pasty, err, Yes! Prejudice can still be found primarily in the Cornwall Police force & Cornwall Judicial Service. Little has changed in 2008 in these organisations homophobic stance & delivery against gay persons. That is the experience of some gay persons in Cornwall.
Intercom Quote:
"1. that the police wouldn't take it seriously
2. that they'd encounter a phobic reaction from a police officer
that information about their sexual orientation or gender identity might be stored in a file.
3. Even at the lowest end of the scale, 36% say they would or might be deterred simply by the thought of having to come Out to a police officer."
PinkPasty, Err, we KNOW Cornwall police still 'DO NOT TAKE' homophobic incidents seriously when the perpetrator of a homophobic incident reported is in fact 'A POLICE OFFICER!'
Even newly appointed LGBT officers in Cornwall in 2008 'choose' to blind-eye complaints of homophobic police misconduct.
Intercom Quote:
"...to be treated equally with other citizens when we report an incident, and to find the incident being taken seriously from the word "go".
PinkPasty, Sorry Intercom, ...but that simply is just NOT the experience of some gay people in Cornwall AT ALL of the homophobic Cornwall police force. Cornwall police ARE still likely NOT to take homophobic incidents seriously...and then police compound the initial abusive situation with further homophobic attitudes & practises by the police themselves. That is simply the factual experience of some gay people in Cornwall!
The Truth is :- Cornwall police remain the single MOST LIKELY organisation to homophobically abuse & violate the life of a gay person living in Cornwall.
