Harassment and Violence
Homophobic or transphobic harassment and violence against LGBT people are crimes and if you are the victim of such a crime you can report it to An Garda Síochána. If you call the LGBT Ireland Helpline, our volunteers will listen and provide you with support if you have been the victim of a hate crime.
Hate Crime
Definitions
Hate Crimes: Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender.
Hate Incidents: Any non-crime incident which is perceived by any person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender.
Explanatory notes:
- A person, community, or institution may be a victim of a hate crime by virtue of perceived or actual association with a particular group or background.
- ‘Motivation’ is presumed by a demonstration or expression of hostility or prejudice .
- Ethnicity includes ‘Traveller’ and ‘Roma’.
- Religion includes ‘non-believers’.
- ‘Gender’ includes gender identity, transgender, intersex, gender expression and gender exploration.
- An ‘incident’ is an occurrence reported to An Garda Síochána.
Garda Diversity Officers
The Gardaí provide a Liaison scheme for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community. Diversity Officers are trained to provide support to victims from the LGBT community and encourage reporting of homophobic crime.
A full list of Diversity Officers is available to download here: Garda Diversity Officer 2021.
An Garda Síochána – Diversity and Integration Strategy 2019-2021
An Garda Síochána have launched their Diversity and Integration Strategy 2019-2021, you can read the full strategy here.