Fear for life: Increase in anti-queer violence in Rhineland-Palatinate!

Fear for life: Increase in anti-queer violence in Rhineland-Palatinate!

The mood for queer people in Rhineland-Palatinate has noticeably worsened in the last two years. This is shown by the alarming figures from the State Criminal Police Office, which reveal that attacks on queer people increased from 16 in 2022 to 48 in 2024. According to a report by SWR Those affected report aggressive reactions and threats in public spaces. For example, Toni, an affected person, was no longer able to openly express her queer identity after an incident in Mannheim. The fear and pressure to hide are growing.

The change in looks, which mutate from happy to aggressive, is particularly difficult for many queer people to bear. Vincent Maron, the chairman of the gay and lesbian center SCHMIT-Z, emphasizes that the fear of attacks has become more entrenched. The police in Trier also suspect an increase in registered crimes against queer people, which makes the situation even more worrying.

Social impact and unreported cases

The number of unreported incidents is estimated to be high. It is estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of hate crime cases go unreported. This is often because many of those affected perceive the offenses to be “too minor” or are afraid of homophobic or transphobic reactions from the police. A study shows that 96% of LGBTIQ* people report hate speech and 87% do not report physical or sexual assault Lesbian and Gay Association Germany reported.

The health consequences of such harassment should not be underestimated. Those affected often struggle with anxiety, depression and physical injuries. The interior ministries are therefore called upon to jointly develop a strategy to combat anti-queer violence and to increase the willingness to report it.

Political climate and queer hostility

Another worrying aspect is the connection between the political climate and the increase in anti-queer sentiment. Joachim Schulte from the Queernet Rhineland-Palatinate network points out that certain neighborhoods are avoided by queer people in order to avoid attacks. Patricia Pederzani, queer representative for the city of Koblenz, also warns of developments abroad that could potentially also affect Germany, especially with regard to discrimination against trans people.

Overall, there has been an increase in anti-queer crimes in Germany over the last few years Federal Criminal Police Office reported that the entire society was shaken up. A total of 1,785 crimes against LGBTIQ* were recorded in 2023, a significant increase compared to 2022, where there were 1,188 cases. The most common crimes are insults, acts of violence and coercion. This is a shocking demonstration of the need for action to ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone.