KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre, in collaboration with six partner organisations from across Europe, has conducted new research highlighting the serious challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ hate crime victims. The study was carried out through the ENACT project and involved interviews with 92 survivors and 57 professionals in Greece, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, and Lithuania.
In Greece, none of the survivor participants had reported their experiences to authorities. Despite recent legal progress such as same-sex marriage and adoption rights, survivors pointed to a deep lack of trust in institutions and a lack of accessible support.
Key findings across partner countries include:
- Italy: Victims often face barriers related to migrant status or lack of resources. Justice is seen as a “privilege.”
- Lithuania: No victim support services are tailored to LGBTIQ+ people, and essential information is not provided in appropriate languages.
- Spain: Access to support depends heavily on a victim’s economic and social background.
- Hungary: Transgender victims report high levels of distrust in public authorities, despite legal protections.
- Slovenia: Most victims do not report hate crimes due to fear of stigma and lack of trust in the police.
Across all countries, the research found:
- Low trust in police and justice systems
- A clear lack of specialised training for professionals
- Additional barriers for people with intersecting identities, including migrants and transgender individuals
- Civil society organisations as the main and most trusted source of support
As a next step, KMOP and its partners will deliver training and practical tools to improve responses to LGBTIQ+ hate crime and strengthen collaboration between institutions and civil society.
Full research reports are available on Zenodo.