Launch of anti-homophobia surgeries (From News Shopper)

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Launch of anti-homophobia surgeries

1:01pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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By Robert Fisk »

RAINBOW flags and balloons will adorn police cars in Bromley during an anti-homophobia day.

The event on Saturday (May 17) is being held in Market Square on International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) to encourage victims of homophobic and transphobic incidents to report them.

Bromley police's lesbian gay bisexual transgender (LGBT) liaison officers will be at the stand throughout the day to offer advice.

They will also be launching the borough's LGBT surgeries on the day.

These are to be held one Saturday a month for the next six months at the Central Library in Bromley High Street.

The surgeries will be held between noon and 3pm on June 28, July 26, August 23, September 27, October 25, November 22.

An LGBT forum is also held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Star and Garter pub in Bromley High Street.

It starts at 6.30pm and anyone with any concerns is invited to go along and speak to a liaison officer.

Bromley police spokesman Inspector Andy Johnstone said: "We are committed to work with its diverse communities, to understand their needs and concerns and to make sure they have a voice.

"There has been increased mutual trust and co-operation with lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender groups in Bromley recently - we are, however, under no illusions at the work still to be done.

We will continue and increase our efforts, but I would appeal to members of the LGBT communities to join with us.

"We would very much welcome new members to discuss how we can continue what we are doing right and improve what we are not.

"Please do come and attend these surgeries and forums."

IDAHO is commemorated because May 17 1990 was the day that the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

Anyone who has any concerns or wants more information can call the police's LGBT liaison officers on 07872 677941 or email them.

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Cerberus, Bromley says...
1:42am Wed 14 May 08

How nausiatingly politically correct.

Why don't they try something really novel next year like having a 'Catch Criminals and Lock them up' day.

I do hope Boris is going to stop all this nonsense.

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Neil, Penge says...
11:45am Wed 14 May 08

Strange that the last writer does not consider people who beat up and harass lesbian and gay people to be criminals.

He also seems to think that trying to catch these criminals and lock them up is wrong.

Hate is hate, whoever it targets. 10% of Bromley's population is lesbian and gay and we pay taxes like everybody else.

The last reader's outdated, provincial attitudes are the very reason why the police have set up this initiative.

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reader, Bexley says...
12:02pm Wed 14 May 08

Neil wrote:
Strange that the last writer does not consider people who beat up and harass lesbian and gay people to be criminals. He also seems to think that trying to catch these criminals and lock them up is wrong. Hate is hate, whoever it targets. 10% of Bromley's population is lesbian and gay and we pay taxes like everybody else. The last reader's outdated, provincial attitudes are the very reason why the police have set up this initiative.

It has been shown by the attack's over recent months and killings of our youths that these initatives are not working, what needs to be put in place is stronger punishments to stop them happening in the first place, I feel most of joe public know what is of concern for them but it is not awareness we need its punishments and hard ones, the met puts in place dis-persal zones with no-one to man them apart from PCSO which go on and off duties at odd times and only work 1 weekend in 4 so what happens is youths or scum no their patten and the crimes are commited at time they no are safe to do so, their is such are large area which 2 or 3 PCSO are to cover that in cannot prove to help all areas of concerns at one known time, It looks good on paper and reports that things are in place but in practice its just not working.

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Chris, Orpington says...
4:20pm Wed 14 May 08

I believe that this is an important step in building trust between the Police and LGBT people. There seems to be a them and us mentality between the two for some reason. I think you will also find that the people going out and committing these hate crimes (which are not reported becasue of embarassment or lack of trust) are capable and willing to perform other crimes.

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Steve, Orpington says...
9:53pm Wed 14 May 08

Increasing the penalties for any crime is meaningless when most offenders know that the attrition rate, for a variety of reasons, is so low. What is needed is to make offenders believe that they are more likely to be apprehended, prosecuted and punished. With anti-gay hate crime as with other crimes targeted at minorities, those affected are less likely to report an attack because of their lack of confidence in police efficacy. Personally I'm amazed that this initiative is taking place in Bromley when apparently so many council employees believe that their faithstyle should be allowed to trump the rights of homosexuals, as illustrated by the very un-Christian demands of some council employees to opt out of participating in civil partnership ceremonies.

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Andy, Bromley says...
10:13pm Fri 16 May 08

It has been shown by the attack's over recent months and killings of our youths that these initatives are not working, what needs to be put in place is stronger punishments to stop them happening in the first place, I feel most of joe public know what is of concern for them but it is not awareness we need its punishments and hard ones, the met puts in place dis-persal zones with no-one to man them apart from PCSO which go on and off duties at odd times and only work 1 weekend in 4 so what happens is youths or scum no their patten and the crimes are commited at time they no are safe to do so, their is such are large area which 2 or 3 PCSO are to cover that in cannot prove to help all areas of concerns at one known time, It looks good on paper and reports that things are in place but in practice its just not working.

- What a peculiar chap (or chapess) you are, 'Reader' in Bexley (hardly surprising though, coming from the slum that is Bexley). You state that what is needed is hard punishments and then ramble on about the police putting in dispersal zones etc and bemoaning policing in general. The problem is the Courts - they are the ones who hand down sentences - and the politicians who make useless laws and embrace so called 'Human Rights' legislation. The Police have a thankless task. Sack the politicians and the liberal judges and bring in FSB style policing, whereby criminal scumbags disappear in the middle of the night never to be heard of again, or re-appearing a few years later when they have been 're-programmed'.

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Quentin Crisp, Bromley says...
11:08am Sat 24 May 08

Bromley police spokesman Inspector Andy Johnstone said: "We are committed to work with its diverse communities, to understand their needs and concerns and to make sure they have a voice.

Yeah right!!! His only concern is promotion. This agenda will tick a few diversity boxes in his application. What a farce the police have become.

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