Anti-Gay Violence on the Rise in Amsterdam

Despite have a reputation of tolerance and acceptance, Amsterdam is facing an increasing problem of violence against gay men according to a study conducted by the University of Amsterdam.

The Study, which was released Thursday, stated the Dutch capital must improve protection of gays, increase education, and encourage reporting of discriminatory incidents.

The study also showed that 67 attacks were reported in Amsterdam in 2007. Police commissioner Leo Wilde said the number was about average for recent years and “is not decreasing.”

The statistics remain difficult to compare with other cities however, as Amsterdam, with a population of 750,000, has attempted for years to improve reporting of anti-gay incidents, but police and authorities say most incidents still go unreported.

The study also concludes that most anti-gay crimes are spontaneously committed by lesser educated young men who feel their masculinity has been questioned.

According to Laurens Buijs, one of the report’s authors,

“In 40 percent of cases the trigger is if people think they’re being targeted” for seduction. Attackers “see gays as predatory animals that can strike at any moment.”

The study, titled “As Long As They Keep Away From Me” , concluded that the tolerance often professed by Dutch youth is only a facade. Gay men are typically accepted as long as they don’t display stereotypically gay behavior.The study combined surveys of Amsterdam youth with in-depth interviews pf smaller groups. Authors of the study also interviewed individual attackers and reviewed recent cases.

Dennis Boutkan, chairman of the Union for Homosexual Integration stated;

“It’s very sad confirmation of what we already suspected, the layer of social acceptance of homosexuality is exceptionally fragile and thin.”

Sydney Declares Oxford St as Homophobia-Free Zone

The City of Sydney has taken the unusual step of declaring Oxford Street a homophobia-free zone in a bid to tackle anti-gay violence.

The homophobia-free zone motion was put forward by Cr Phillip Black at a recent forum for the gay community, receiving support from other community groups along with the council’s endorsement.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore said the declaration of the zone, coupled with the Oxford Street Safety Strategy which came into effect last year, would help Sydney take a more proactive approach towards protecting the minority group.

“Homophobic abuse is often a precursor to violence…While all areas of NSW are technically ‘homophobia-free zones’, this strategy recognises the importance and strength of the GLBT community in our City,” Cr Moore said.

Read the rest at governmentnews.com.au.