Launched in February 2009, the Lesbian and Gay Anti-Violence Project’s ‘Speak Up’ campaign aims to increase the number of GLBT people who report homophobic violence to the police and to the Anti-Violence Project (AVP). Key partners for the campaign are NSW Police Force and City of Sydney.

Reports of homophobic violence to the AVP increase during the summer and fear of homophobic violence and hostility is especially high over the Mardi Gras period.

AVP co-ordinator Nancy de Castro said the Anti-Violence Project wants to motivate the GLBT community to report for reasons beyond the specific incident, to speak up in order to make the overall issue of homophobic violence visible. “Reporting is vital, we need to make sure police and the AVP have a true picture of when, where, and how often violence is happening in order for us to try to stop it”.

For more info check out the ACON website.