NEW YORK LGBT NETWORK TO LAUNCH NEW HOTLINE FOR UNREPORTED HATE CRIMES ON
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
Hauppauge, NY – Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison will join New York LGBT Network President Dr. David Kilmnick on the eve of National Coming Out Day to discuss the nationwide rise in anti-LGBTQ hate and extremism. They will be announcing a new hotline for residents of Long Island and New York City for unreported hate crimes involving the LGBT community. The press conference will take place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 2:00pm at LGBT Network Headquarters, 125 Kennedy Drive, Suite 100 in Hauppauge, NY.
The FBI’s supplemental 2021 hate crime statistics shows a sharp rise in these hate crimes as there were 1,110 anti-LGBT hate crime incidents reported, an increase of 6.8% from 2019. Of these incidents, 61.4% were anti-gay (male) bias, 20.9% were anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (mixed group) bias, 11.5% were anti-lesbian bias, and 6.2% were anti-transgender bias.
Dr. David Kilmnick, LGBT Network President says, “it is a frightening time as hate crimes are increasing rapidly and we are fearful it may reach epidemic proportions given the rise of extremist hate groups and anti-LGBT legislation that is spreading like wildfire across the nation. These numbers are a underrepresentation of the true extent of the problem, as many victims do not report their experiences to the police due to fear, stigma, or lack of trust. Many victims of hate crimes are also reluctant to report them to the police as reported crimes do not always lead to arrests, prosecutions, or even a record of hate crimes”.
The new hotline number is 631-LGBT-HLP (631-542-8457). “On National Coming Out Day, we are proud to launch this important hotline in collaboration with Suffolk County Police Department as a vital resource for our community. We know that hate crimes are not only acts of violence, but also acts of intimidation and terror that affect us all. We want to send a clear message to all LGBT community members that we are not alone, that we have each other’s backs and that we will not be silenced by hate. This new hotline will give voice and support to all LGBT people” said Dr. Kilmnick.
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National Coming Out Day 2023 is an annual observance dedicated to celebrating and supporting individuals in the LGBT community as they share their authentic selves with the world. The LGBT Network’s annual NCOD #WearTheRbbon Campaign engages over 1 million people to act in creating safer spaces for LGBT people where they live, learn, work, play and pray. https://weartheribbon.org/