Gay community welcomes increase in Garda numbers

Gardaí are concerned that members of the gay and lesbian community are "soft targets" for violent assaults.

Insp Finbarr Murphy of Garda Community Relations is urging members of the gay, lesbian and bisexual community to report attacks on them, stressing they will be treated with sympathy and confidentiality.

He was speaking at the announcement of a substantial increase in the number of gardaí dedicated to liaising with them. Two more sergeants and eight more gardaí have been appointed as liaison officers to the community in the central Dublin area, bringing the number in the city centre to three sergeants and 10 gardaí.

Gardaí wanted to "track these crimes and profile the perpetrators and make arrests", said Insp Murphy, adding that some attackers may view members of the community as "a soft target".

"If they get away with it, whether the motive is to get money or just hatred, they will do it again," he said.

Keith O'Malley, chief executive of the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network, said the increase was "substantial" and "welcome". Louise Tierney, spokeswoman for Outhouse, said the community was "pleased with the increase".

"Any gay man you talk to will tell you they have been assaulted, but they don't like to talk about it," she added. There was a "huge under-reporting" of assaults on gay people. Many feared if they did they would have to "come out" to friends, work colleagues or family who might not know they were gay.

Over Christmas, gardaí will distribute information leaflets in venues frequented by the gay community, as part of its "Be Safe, Be Proud" campaign.

The increase in dedicated liaison officers follows a rise in concern among the community at hate-crimes against lesbians and, particularly, gay men.

During the year there has been a number of publicly reported attacks on gay men. Insp Murphy said the attacks were taken extremely seriously. It was important that members of the community came forward if they were attacked.

"They may have a difficulty if they feel they have been attacked in a compromising situation, such as if they have brought someone home or have met someone in an isolated area like a park, Insp Murphy added. "We want to stress to them that that is not a difficulty and that they will be treated sympathetically by the gardaí."