The government released its hate crime statistics in November 2021. These showed a total of ‘recorded’ hate crimes of 124,091 across all Police forces in England and Wales.
That represents a 9% increase on 2020 and a 317% increase since 2013, when figures were first collated.
From figures published yesterday, trans hate crime rose a staggering 76.1% in 12 months. That % increase is high and may be reflective of the small number of cases recorded, so a small increase in cases is a big increase in percentage. However, it is suggested that the overall total across all sectors is similar to last year. As such trans hatred is on the rise.
Even the BBC (with its transphobic ways) published an article in September 2020 showing trans hate crime had “quadrupled” in five years and was 25% up on 2019.
Statista report that in 2021 there were 2844 transgender hate crimes reported. 10% in London met police area. That’s nearly EIGHT per DAY.
A quick internet search shown numerous articles of trans hatred, crimes and deaths increasing in the UK, across Europe and Globally. This isn’t a glitch or some ‘fad.’
“The only thing you have to fear is fear itself” said Franklin D Roosevelt in 1933. As part of a speech written for his presidential inauguration amidst the great depression and before World War 2
But is that true today? Is it true when the fear of harm is real and constant?
For your average Cisgender Heterosexual person (CISHET) that saying is probably true. They only have to confront daily life which is generally NOT fearful. But for members of the LGBTQA+ community it isn’t. It’s because the fear is REAL, and the fear of that fear is getting worse. Its much more than overcoming fear to achieve. Its about being fearful from REAL threats of violence and hate towards the community.
For ethnic minorities in society, whether Jewish, Muslim, or other, that fear is worsening.
For people of colour, for the disabled, and anyone NOT CISHET, that fear is worsening.
But why?
Because hatred in society is rising. Its rising year on year in most categories. Virtually anyone can be the victim of abuse on social media. It just a thing now. Violence on the football terraces is rising year on year. Gun violence is rising, and more people are stabbed each year than the year before. In London, teenage deaths from stabbings in 2021 (30) was the worst in 13 years.
There seems to be a general rise in lawlessness across the country. More people in prison and just a general moral decline. There just seems to be more hatred, more intolerance, and more selfishness everywhere. It just seems to be ‘normal’
Where is the community spirit, the helping each other in a time of crisis? We have Anti vaxxers violently protesting, lying by saying crime numbers mean there are “criminal” investigations into vaccine use. This is not true. Those are crime numbers they got for causing disturbances and which are subject to investigation and/or a log of an incident, nothing more.
The peddling of ‘fake news,’ misinformation and downright lies is, frankly rife. I have commented before about the lack of support and input to reduce this by the big social media platforms.
Hateful expression on Twitter gets reported, acknowledged as hateful and in breach of rules. A SHORT ban of a FEW HOURS is issued, and the hater is allowed to carry on as though nothing ever happened. Rarely are bans much longer or permanent. When they are permeant, the offenders are well known for their hatred and have been spewing such for months if not years. It takes a lot to get kicked off the platform. But the damage is done, and harm has been caused with their own rise in popularity as a result. The people are not in isolation, they have large and accepting followings.
Moreover, the turning of the haters to the darker side of the web and the rise of new platforms set up by them DELIBERATELY to ALLOW the ‘discussion’ and pushing of their hatred in echo chambers, fuelling yet more hated and incitement in a worsening spiral. The moral judgement of such platforms being set to ‘weak’ to allow hatred in the name of ‘free speech.’
All of this weakens the fabric of society. It creates division rather than cohesion.
The latest reported Hate crime figures are a sad reflection of this decline in morality. This when it is perceived society is more open and diverse than ever before. But is it?
Is it that the hatred, whist a small section of society has such a loud shouty platform and a wide establishment influence that it appears larger than it is?
It is perhaps the utter failure of the media in general and the wider establishment, government, and authority to stamp this out that is more of a concern. This concern was yesterday recognised by the Council of Europe report that placed the level of attitude towards trans people ON A PAR with the likes of Hungary, Poland, and Russia. It REALLY is that bad. This despite attempts by GC council members from the UK trying to get that inclusion removed. That is a transphobic cover up. It is exactly why the hatred is allowed to grow.
We live in a democracy and, rightly there is freedom of speech. However, there is also a right for people to NOT be targeted by hatred, let alone that hatred be encouraged or overlooked by those who should police such matters.
When political leaders are caught up in a wide range of sleaze, fraud and rule breaking allegations, how does that set an example to society? Why should society follow rules that its leaders do not? When society sees its leaders feathering their own nests and diverting funds, resources, and contracts to party donors and ‘their mates,’ they rightly feel aggrieved and upset. None of this sets a good example of how to behave.
When The Metropolitan Police, largest police force in the country, HAVE to be taken to court to force them to look into government rule breaking of rules set out for EVERYONE, by those same rule breakers, things are bad, very bad.
When that same government has been found GUILTY in the high court of misappropriating public funds, things are bad, very bad. If a crime has been committed, and the court says it has, why is there not an investigation? Why are those individuals, in power, not being pursued as law breakers?
The establishment is turning a blind eye to massive fraud and corruption but will pursue people to their death for non-payment of a gas bill….even if they have no gas!
Over the last few years, several allegations and a few determinations have been made about government ministers and Local councillors being accused of bullying. This is utterly appalling. There is NO EXCUSE for bullying, anywhere in society, let alone in adult life and in public office. Bullying is power and power leads to corruption. And guess what, we have corruption on a grand scale. We have corruption of office and corruption of society.
We see stories of a Muslim MP [Nusrat Ghani] (allegedly) being dismissed from a ministerial role for “..her Musliminess being raised as an issue” and “being Muslim was making colleagues uncomfortable” It is also alleged that “her career would be destroyed” if she didn’t step aside. That, if true, is both hatefully and bullying. Rightfully it is being investigated.
All this is happening in front of our eyes in the seat of government. This isn’t new, it’s been happening for decades, but it creates a sense of lack of leadership and credibility.
All of this makes fear worse for the minorities and victims in society. Fear because there is no confidence in authority and the law to help them.
Whilst I’m focussing on minority hatred in this article, hatred and ‘keyboard warriors’ are everywhere. They spew hatred and disgust, threats, and violence about anything they disagree with. A contestant on Bake Off, or the colour/name of a bar of chocolate. Nothing and on one is immune. That is a serious weakening of societies morals and attitude.
Why is this bad for hate crime statistics?
It’s bad because people won’t fear the law. They feel they won’t be caught; and if caught, won’t be punished so they feel more able to be more openly hateful. This is true and is happening. The tone of GC rhetoric is much worse now than three years ago. Hatred can be said much more openly and without and admonishment.
If they can be hateful without fear, then there are those in society, who will.
But why the large rise in trans hate crimes?
Maybe because it is more acceptable to hate trans people than other sectors of society. Being openly racist or anti-Semitic will get immediate sanction. This happened after the world cup final for instance with people being arrested and charged for saying hateful things about a penalty miss. In the Labour party before that, charges were brought, and people sacked or stood down for anti-Semitic comments or policy.
Many have been forced to resign over old tweets were racist, antisemitic, or similar from years before.
But NO-ONE is sacked, stood down for transphobia. Those that are accused, find jobs elsewhere (such as Kathleen Stock) and others but decide to ‘move on’ whilst shouting loudly about a failure of “free speech.”
NO ONE is disciplined for being transphobic in the same way as if they would for being racist or antisemitic.
The BBC are being investigated by Ofcom for an antisemitic article but AREN’T being investigated over the Lily cage article, which happened earlier and lead to protests outside BBC headquarters. This is institutional bias and blindness against trans people
In the House of Lords, peers of the realm are openly being transphobic. They are trying to bring in discriminatory laws to segregate trans people from their rightful place in society. They are openly making public announcements that are hateful and inciteful. Yet, no sanction, discipline from their own leaders, the mainstream media, or the establishment.
Only this week Baroness Jonna Cherry QC effectively stated that trans men should be denied cervical smear tests because of who they are. She also said she wasn’t going to support Macmillan Cancer for suggesting ‘people’ should have cervical smear tests. Was she sanctioned, admonished, or called out by authority, her party leaders? No, nothing. Her hatred was entirely acceptable in their eyes.
She has also publicly stated that the increase in hate crime is ‘imagined’ and isn’t that bad really. It isn’t imagined and for the crimes that are reported, many more aren’t reported at all. This is a twisting of the figures to suit her case of being transphobic and ignoring reality.
The EHRC today published two documents, BOTH of which were directly AGAINST the proposed rights of trans people, and one IN FAVOUR of selected conversion therapy FOR trans people. How can that be acceptable for an EQUALITIES COMMISSION?
Trans hate is considered acceptable, it is not considered a hate crime in the same way as other hate crimes.
That is why trans people fear for themselves and others, just for being who they are. Many may not or will not leave their houses as themselves.
Whilst there are many allies in all walks of life, the media, and political parties, they do not wield anywhere near the level of power and influence as the GC brigade.
In the end, as I have said before, people will and are dying because of hate. Either directly killed because of hatred or indirectly because of fear and a wish to end life because of the hatred.
The suicide statistics are widely known and published. Those same statistics are abused and ignored by the GC and other haters, manipulated and mis represented.
Trans people dying is a matter of fact.
Hate crime is bad, across all sectors of society. It is worsening and the moral fabric of society needs urgent repair.
Until transphobia is recognised as a hate crime in the same way as racism and anti Semitism, it will be allowed to perpetuate.
People will die and that will be as a result of a failure to act by those who not only can but should.
Where do we go from here?
Hopefully, the only way is UP. It needs ALL allies to come together and push for change to improve things. The whole fabric of society, it morality and generally lawlessness needs a review. That’s going to take time and a significant number of changes.
Everyone can do their bit to improve their own part of society and that will create a bigger change.
ALL political parties need to step up and not let the infiltration of GC hatred continue. WHY is the positive information, views and experience of TRANS PEOPLE never taken on board?
Oh, and a new, accepting, less corrupt, less sleazy, people focussed government would help….A LOT!
By Nicola Rose
