Hate crimes against transgender people on the rise in West Midlands

West Midlands Police recorded 17 transphobic hate crimes between January and November, compared with 23 in the whole of in 2013 and 10 in 2012.

They included 22 violence against the person offences, 18 public order offences, six crimes involving arson or criminal damage, two sex offences, robbery and a vehicle offence.

West Mercia Police said 12 there had been transphobic or gender identity hate crimes between January and November, up from 11 in 2013 and 10 in 2012. They included five assaults, harassment, criminal damage, causing public fear, alarm or distress and a sexual assault.

Serge Nicholson, from the charity Galop, which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, said transphobic hate crimes recorded by police were a 'tiny fraction of the true number'.

"A third of trans people in the UK go through transphobic abuse every year," he said.

"That's the second highest of any EU country. Yet only a few hundred transphobic crimes get recorded by the police each year. That has got to be a tiny fraction of the true number.

"As much as 80 per cent of transphobia is not reported. So the rise in transphobic police recording can be viewed as encouraging, though it leaves us with mixed feelings. One transphobic hate crime is one too many.

"It is encouraging that more trans people feel able to come forward to seek help and to report that they are the victims of unacceptable illegal transphobic abuse.

"Trans people are entitled to respect and dignity at home, on the street, from the police and in court."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has encouraged victims to report transphobic hate crimes, which it acknowledged had been 'significantly under-reported'.

Chief constable Jane Sawyers, the national policing lead for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, said: "Targeting someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is totally unacceptable. This abuse affects people's fundamental right to feel safe, secure and confident about themselves.

"Police forces across the UK are committed to reducing all forms of hate crime and bringing offenders to justice. Traditionally, homophobic and transphobic hate crime has been significantly under-reported and we are working hard to ensure the LGBT community feels confident to come forward and report incidents.

"Many police forces have also introduced LGBT liaison officers with specific responsibility for building community links and providing support to victims and witnesses of homophobic and transphobic hate crime.

"We strongly encourage anyone who has experienced transphobic hate crime to report incidents to the police."