July, 1990 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE Page 11

Hate crimes still raging, says NGLTF report

Harassment and attacks against gay men and lesbians are widespread and continue to plague the nation, says a report on anti-gay crimes released by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

The fifth annual "Anti-Gay Violence, Victimization and Defamation" survey reports 7,031 incidents ranging from harassment to homicide against gay men and lesbians in 1989. The incidents were documented by 119 organizations and individuals in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Of the incidents, 2,322 were acts of vandalism, intimidation and physical violence and 4,079 were verbal harass-

ment.

"Last year the nation's lesbian and gay community celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which sparked the modern gay rights movement," said Kevin Berrill, director of NGLTF's Anti-Violence Project and author of the report. "Although we have made remarkable strides towards freedom since Stonewall, we remain a community under siege, battling an epidemic of bigotry and violence."

Berrill, joined by other civil rights, law enforcement and congressional leaders, including Sen. Alan Cranston, called for a "major battle on the state level against bashers and bigots" to end homophobic, racist, anti-Semitic and other hate

crimes.

Although a 1987 U.S. Department of Justice report noted that gays and lesbians are probably the most frequent victims of hate violence in America, only a handful of states have hate-crime laws that include crimes based on sexual orientation.

1989 Statistics

Of the 7,031 incidents reported last year, approximately two-thirds, 4,709, were acts of verbal harassment. Of the

remaining 2,322 incidents, 34 percent (795) were physical assaults, 31 percent (726) were threats of violence, 17 percent (385) were acts of vandalism, 14 percent (330) were police abuse, 3 percent (62) were homicides, and 1 percent acts of arson (11) and other victimization (13).

Overall, 1989's total of 7,031 episodes is slightly lower than the 7,248 reported in 1988.

"Given the many factors that affect annual totals and the relatively small differences between the figures, it is not possible to accurately gauge how the scope of the problem changed last year," explained Berrill.

"Nor does this report measure the full extent of anti-gay violence and victimization that occurred last year. Because of under-reporting by victims and a lack of systematic data collection throughout

most of the U.S., we estimate that the vast majority of anti-gay episodes in 1989 were not documented."

Fifteen percent of the incidents were classified by local groups as AIDS-related, indicating that AIDS and its stigmatization continue to be a focus and justification for anti-gay prejudice and violence.

Acts of terrorism against lesbians and gay men by organized hate groups were persistent last year. Harassment and violence by such groups, most of which involved neo-Nazi skinheads, were reported in 19 communities.

Expression of bigotry by public figures was also "disturbingly commonplace" last year, said Berrill, although the report's statistics do not include acts of defamation. The statements, however, are highlighted because "they devalue and dehumanize gay people and create a powder keg atmosphere of intolerance and rejection that could explode into violence."

Victims of hate crimes are urged to report them to community-based organizations, local law enforcement authorities and to the Department of Justice's national toll-free hate crime hotline, 1-800-347-HATE.▼

Where Do The States Stand On Hate Crime?* Prepared by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force May, 1990

WASHINGTON

MONTANA

NORTH DAKOTA

MINNESOTA

OREGON

CALIFORNIA

DANO

SOUTH DAKOTA

WYOMING

IOWA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

UTAH

COLORADO

MISSOURI

KANSAS

HAWAN

WISCONSIN

NEW YORK

MENGAN

SIGNER

PENNSYLVANIA

OHIO

INDIANA

WEST VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA

KENTUCKY

TENNESSEE

NORTH CAROLINA

ARIZONA

EMLANDMA

ARKANSAS

NEW MEXICO

SOUTH CAROLINA

MISSISSIPPI ALABAM

GEORGIA

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Hate crime laws that include crimes based on sexual orientation (9 states and the District of Columbia)

Hate crime laws that exclude crimes based on sexual orientation (13 states)

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THE GOOD NEWS

This space has been donated to Emmanuel MCC by the Chronicle, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Chronicle staff or management.

For rent-We are pleased to announce that our building, at 10034 Lorain Ave, is available for rental by individuals or groups, for one-time-only or ongoing activities. The building is alcohol-free and smoking restricted. Three rooms are available, with space for 10 to 100 people. The fee structure is reasonable and flexible. For information, call the church office at 651-0129.

Growing pains-We have become aware of some misunderstandings, within our church family and in the greater Cleveland community, about some of the things that have occurred at Emmanuel recently. We have experienced tremendous growth in the past year, with the dedicated efforts of all of our members and supporters. In our great love for God and for each other, we as humans do not always agree on the best ways to do the work that God asks us to do. This disagreement can lead to disappointment, anger, and if not recongnized, addressed openly, and resolved, to division.

It is our hope that the growing pains we are now enduring do not cause bad feelings among people in our community. Emmanuel has weathered storms in the past, as we will weather this one. Psalm 40 tells us that God has set our feet on a rock, and given us a firm place to stand. We believe that God called Emmanuel into being, in Cleveland, to be a rock. We assure you that Emmanuel will always be that firm place for all people to stand. If you have concerns about any issues regarding Emmanuel, we urge you to contact the church office, and help us to help you to resolve them.

We continue to be in need of donations of time, talents, and treasure, to help keep the work of God going in our community. We are still seeking one or more people to do sign language interpreting for our Sunday services. In the past months, our food pantry and Pastor's discretionary fund have helped many people meet basic survival meeds. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please let us help. Our services are confidential and hassle-free.

Now that the North Coast winter is behind us, we appreciate the pleasures of Lake Erie's finest offerings. But God is open year round, and so is Emmanuel. Our Sunday morning worship is at 10:45, and is a wonderful way to begin your summer day. Sunday evening worship, and mid-week leadership training, have been suspended for the summer, but will resume in the fall. The church office is open as usual, and we have activities planned throughout the summer season, so keep in touch with your friends and family, and don't miss anything.

Our thanks to all those in the community who helped make Pride '90 so successful; to those who planned, marched and did the hard work. See you again next year!

Happy 20th!

The Leather Stallion Saloon, the oldest gay bar in Cleveland, turns 20 this month. Be at the Stallion on Tuesday, July 3 for their 20th Anniversary Party. See next month's Chronicle for a report on the festivities.