CHILD ABUSE: TODDLER SINGS ‘AIN’T NO HOMOS GONNA MAKE IT TO HEAVEN’ IN CHURCH

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32. No, not unlikely.

I wouldn't have posted what I did if our country didn't have a history of physically persecuting hated minorities.

Hate violence against LGBTQ people is on the rise. From 2006 to 2008, reports of anti-LGBT bias-moti- vated violence increased by 26 percent overall, with a 36 percent climb in crimes committed by strangers, a 48 percent increase in bias-related sexual assault, and an all-time high rate of hate violence resulting in murder. In 2008, medical attention was required by 46 percent of all victims of LGBT hate violence reported to NCAVP programs.3 According to another recent study, approximately 20 percent of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people experienced a crime against their person or property based on their sexual orientation and 50 percent experienced verbal harassment over their lifetime.4 In addition, reports of anti- LGBT bias-related physical abuse at the hands of law enforcement personnel increased 150 percent from 2007 to 2008.5

The impact of hate violence harms members of the victim’s community as well, and can leave them feeling isolated, vulnerable, and unprotected by the law.6 A 2006 poll found that 54 percent of LGBTQ people responding were “concerned,” “very concerned,” or “extremely concerned” about being the victim of a hate crime.7 According to studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), hate crimes based on sexual orientation bias have more serious and long-lasting psychological effects than other crimes because of the link to core aspects of the victim’s identity and community.8

http://www.avp.org/documents/WhyItMatters.pdf