2018 Black Year' for LGBT

Paris: A dark year "and" a sad record ": physical assaults against LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) reached a level unmatched in 2018, a sign of homophobia" more and more violent "according to the report annual SOS Homophobia unveiled recently.

With 231 recorded physical assaults, "2018 was a dark year for LGBT people," write Véronique Godet and Joël Deumier, co-chairs of SOS Homophobie, in the preamble of the report, which deplores a "sad record". The precedent was in 2013 - 188 cases - marked by a spike in homophobic acts related to the adoption of the law authorising marriage and adoption to same-sex couples.

"This shows that we face a homophobia and transphobia more and more violent," notes Joel Deumier. Sometimes until death, with the murder in August of Vanesa Campos, a transgender sex worker shot dead in the Bois de Boulogne. The year 2018, which recorded a 66% jump in LGBT phobic physical attacks compared to 2017, owes its poor results in its last quarter, during which one case of aggression per day on average was reported to SOS Homophobie.

In the autumn, several victims had created the excitement by relaying on their social networks their swollen faces. "Victims feel more and more comfortable and legitimate to speak in the public debate," rejoices Joel Deumier.

On 21 October, a crowd of 3,000 people gathered in Paris at the call of several associations after this series of homophobic attacks in the capital. In response, the State Secretary in charge of the fight against discrimination, Marlene Schiappa, presented at the end of November a plan to fight against LGBT violence.

"Of the ten measures announced, only two have been implemented: a circular from the Minister of Justice Nicole Belloubet addressed to the prosecutor's office and an awareness campaign to the school launched in January.For us, it is largely insufficient ", points Joel Deumier.

He expects a "first quantified assessment" of the number of police, gendarmes, magistrates and teachers trained in LGBT violence. Asked by AFP, Ms Schiappa's office did not respond.