If the Ministry of the Interior worried about LGTBIphobia: In 2021, One out of every four hate crimes Investigated by the State Security Forces and Bodies pertaining to sexual orientation or gender identity A total of 466 victims, representing an increase of almost 70% compared to 2019 (67.6%) and 2020 (68.23%).
These 466 hate crimes committed against the LGTBI group, of which the police were aware (through a complaint or through police intervention), affected 530 victims, 13% of whom were minors (47 girls and 21 boys). by gender, 80% male and 20% femaleAccording to the Report 2021 on the evolution of hate crimes in Spain.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated in the presentation of the report that hate crimes have been increasing since 2014 and that “a a serious threat to society as a whole“because they intend to undermine the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms”.
Hate crimes investigated by the Police in 2021 were 7.8% higher than in 2019, which has been referenced since 2020, when the pandemic was impacted by mobility restrictions. this had to do with the most xenophobia and racism (639, 37% of the total), followed by those related to the sexual identity and sexual orientation of the victim (466, 27% of the total), which experienced a significant increase of 67% compared to 2019.
The Home Secretary acknowledged that the numbers are alarming, but some of this increase is due to underreporting is decreasing because victims increasingly rely on Security Forces and Bodies to formalize the complaint.
But he added that hate speech, which is highly focused on specific groups, “ignites the spark, enabling others to commit crimes related to or connected with these crimes.” “They are actions for specific people but its ultimate goal is to create feelings of fear and insecurity in the social group to which they belong or to which the aggressor attaches the victim.”
13% of hate crimes against the LGTBI community were committed via the internet and social networks. The profile of the alleged attacker belongs to a young man (84%). The majority of the attackers were under the age of 40, and 17% were under the age of 18.
Victims of hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity are also young: three quarters were under the age of 40.
Grande-Marlaska underlined that although underreporting remains at 80%, the effectiveness of the police in solving these crimes has increased. 67% of LGTBIphobia hate crime cases were resolved in 2021 (314).
The highest number of cases were concentrated in Catalonia (101), Madrid (70) and the Basque Country (65), while no acts of LGTBIphobia were investigated in either La Rioja or Ceuta.