News Articles
2nd October 2007
Call to strengthen hate crime law
(Source: BBC NEWS)
A bill to strengthen laws on hate crimes against gay or disabled people in Scotland is to be
brought forward. The proposal, by Green MSP Patrick Harvie, would make attacking someone
because of their sexual orientation or their disability an aggravating factor.
This would put such assaults on the same legal footing as racist attacks and religiously-aggravated
assaults.
Scottish ministers said they were committed to introducing measures and would hold talks on
the way forward.
The draft proposals for the bill, which have been lodged with the Scottish Parliament, have
been backed by Scottish police chiefs and the Liberal Democrats, as well as groups including
the Association for Mental Health, the Equality Network and Stonewall.
But Labour have reservations about the move, while the Conservatives argued that everyone
deserved the same protection.
A survey in 2004 found that 47% of disabled people had experienced hate crime because of
their disability, with 31% of those reporting that they suffered verbal abuse, intimidation or
physical attacks at least once a month.
Research into attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people carried out in 2002
found 68% had been verbally abused in the last year, while 23% had been physically assaulted.
Mr Harvie, a Glasgow MSP, said he was "deeply disappointed" that the previous Holyrood
government decided not to press ahead with the legal changes, which have been backed by
Scots police chiefs.
"We know that the hate crime laws which protect religious groups and minority ethnic
communities are useful not only in individual cases, but also in focusing police attention on
the problem," he said.
"Disabled people and sexual minorities deserve no less protection from prejudice and bigotry."
Lothian and Borders Police Assistant Chief Constable Neil Richardson said all crime motivated
by hate was"utterly intolerable".
"This addition to the legislation will send a clear message of support to lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender people and should assist in giving increased confidence to those who are, or
become, victims of homophobic or transphobic crimes to report the circumstances to the police,"
he said.
But Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said Mr Harvie was wrong to believe that any judge
would not increase a sentence for an assault on a person who was physically disabled.
He went on: "The problem now is that there are too many aggravations, racial or sectarian.
It has created a situation whereby the only people who do not enjoy the full protection of the
court are heterosexual, white males."
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