Advocates Claim Anti-Gay Crimes On The Rise

An eleventh man is being charged in three anti-gay assaults and a robbery that occurred in the Bronx earlier this month. Advocates say that while they are grateful for the raised public awareness of hate crimes targeting LGBT individuals the incident has generated, attacks on lesbian and gay residents in New York City appear to be increasing.

Roberta Sklar of the New York City Anti-Violence Project says there were nearly 300 violent attacks on LBGT people in New York City in 2009. Although she couldn't give specific figures for 2010 yet, she says her office has been receiving more calls than it did last year. Numbers for 2010 will be quanitified and published in 2011.

But Sklar says such crimes are always under-represented because victims often don't want to report the incidents.

"Sometimes there is a reluctance to come out because the person has been leading a more private life," says Sklar. "Sometimes there is vulnerability around where they are and who they are with. And sometimes there is, quite simply, inexpressible shame."

The New York Police Department reports there have been 49 anti-gay crimes in 2010 so far -- an increase from 42 in 2009.  Sklar says her organization's numbers are often higher than the statistics the New York Police Department has -- mostly because so many gay individuals are reluctant to approach police officers about their attacks.

"Why? Because there is fear of reprisal, fear of disbelief, fear of being -- if you will -- revictimized," says Sklar.

Sklar urges any members of the LGBT community who feel they have been victims of hate crimes to call the Anti-Violence Project's hotline at 212-714-1141.