Call for participants: Focus group interviews on the impact of hate crime in the LGBTQ community

Vancouver: Egale Canada is seeking members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) community in Vancouver to participate in individual and focus group interviews on the impact of hate crime.

On June 7, 2011, Statistics Canada released an analysis of 2009 police-reported hate crime in Canada, revealing a terrible upward trend in hate crime across the country. Significantly, the report reaffirmed the disturbing trend in violent hate crimes against LGB Canadians, with 63% of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation resulting in physical injury to the victim—far more than any other identifiable group.

In response to this information, Egale Canada and Dr. Barbara Perry, an internationally renowned expert on hate and bias-motivated crime, announced the formation of a new partnership aimed at producing concrete strategies to combat hate crime and ensure the safety of the LGBTQ community in Canada. These interviews will provide valuable information essential to the success of this goal.

To participate in these interviews, please contact Egale either by phone at 1-888-204-7777 or by email at stophate@egale.ca. The first round of interviews will take place at Gordon Neighbourhood House in Vancouver on August 17, 2011. Additional cities will be scheduled in the coming months.

Interviews will be facilitated by Dr. Barbara Perry, Professor of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. This study is approved by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Research Ethics Board. All interviews will be kept strictly confidential.

WHO:	Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer community
WHAT:	Individual and focus group interviews regarding the impact of hate crime
WHEN:	August 17, 2011, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
WHERE:	Gordon Neighbourhood House 1019 Broughton Street, Vancouver, BC
HOW:	Contact Egale at 1-888-204-7777 or at stophate@egale.ca

Egale Canada is Canada's LGBT human rights organizations: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.

Barbara Perry is Professor of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. She has written extensively in the area of hate crime, including two books on the topic: In the Name of Hate: Understanding Hate Crime; and Hate and Bias Crime: A Reader.

Egale Canada ©2011

Canada's LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.