If you chose use the internet or personal ads to meet for people for sex or socialising it’s worth having a few basic safety strategies.
Archive | 2009
The police have spoken to me about an allegation against me
If a police officer talks to you about an allegation against you and takes your name and address, they might record your details on a local police computer system.
Harassment
This section includes information about harassment of LGBT people in different settings, and includes information about your rights and where to get help if you are being harassed.
What Is Harassment?
The term harassment can mean different things, and can take place in different settings, including your home, your place of work, your school or via the phone or the internet. The person carrying out the harassment might be a neighbour or groups of people living nearby, an ex-partner, family members or someone at work or [...]
I’m Being Harassed By My Neighbours
One of the most common forms of harassment experienced by LGBT people is from neighbours or people living nearby.
What Can I Do About Neighbourhood Harassment?
If you are being harassed by your neighbours or other people who live near you, you can take the following action:
I’m Being Harassed At Work
It is against the law to harass someone at work because of their sexuality or gender identity. The person who is harassing you may be in breach of employment law or in some circumstances may be in breach of criminal law.
What Can Be Done About Harassment?
Different types of harassment are covered by different laws. The action of your harasser may be covered by:
Resources
Useful contact numbers: Galop: 020 7704 2040 www.galop.org.uk Stonewall Housing: 020 7359 5767 www.stonewallhousing.org Pink Law (Free legal advice for the LGBT community) 020 7882 3668
What Is A CRB Check?
If you apply for certain jobs such as teaching, care work and other positions (including voluntary work) where you may work with children or vulnerable adults, your prospective employer is required to check your police record through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).
How Can I Prevent Unwanted Disclosures Related to My Gender Identity?
If you are required to complete a CRB Disclosure you can choose to use the CRB’s Confidential Checking Process.
How The Process Works
When you contact the Sensitive Applications Manager you’ll be advised about the CRB’s confidential checking process in place for applicants who do not wish for the name or gender identity they were assigned with at birth to be disclosed on the completed Disclosure.
Previous Convictions
If you have a conviction in your previous name or the gender identity you were assigned with at birth, this may show on the completed Disclosure.
Annual General Meeting
Galop’s AGM will be taking place on Tue 6 October 2009. If you wish to attend please contact us to get details of time and location.
What are the advantages of Assisted Reporting with Galop?
At Galop you can talk to a trained caseworker who is an LGBT person.
What kind of things should I report to Galop?
We want to hear about incidents where the victim is LGBT or where the incident itself is anti-LGBT
What if I want to report directly to the police?
If you want we can refer you to a trained police LGBT Liaison Officer in your local borough, although we cannot guarantee the service you will receive from them.
All The Fun of the Fete!
A massive thank you to everyone who helped us raise over £1,000 at Galop’s Big Gay Fete on Saturday 13 June!
Harassment
Harassment may be hate mail, phone calls, texts, emails, graffiti, repeated name calling, following, pestering or repeated theft or damage to property.
Domestic Abuse
LGBT people can and do experience domestic abuse and hate crime within their own home.
Young People
Young LGBT people can often experience high levels of homophobic or transphobic hate crime at school or college, though it is often referred to homophobic or transphobic bullying.
Witnessing An Incident
If you witness a homophobic or transphobic incident or crime it is valuable if you make a report as you may have vital details that could help solve a case or arrest a perpetrator.
I’ve Been Given A Harassment Warning
If the police get reports that you have been harassing someone, they might give you a formal harassment warning.
I’ve Been Given A Penalty Notice
If the police or council reasonably believe you’ve committed a minor crime they can give you an ‘on the spot fine’, usually called a fixed penalty notice.
I’ve Been Cautioned
For a police officer to investigate whether you have committed a crime, they must first arrest and interview you. Then, if there is enough evidence that you may have committed a crime, you might be charged.
Do I Have To Tell My Employer?
You don’t normally need to tell a potential employer about being spoken to by the police, a harassment warning, fixed penalty notice or caution. However, if you are asked ‘Have you got a criminal record?’ or ‘Do you have any convictions or cautions?’, then you should give details of any cautions.
Making A Police Complaint
If you feel the police treated you badly, you may want to make a complaint.
Cruising And Cottaging
Cruising grounds are open spaces where men look for consensual sex with other men,
What Should You Be Careful Of?
Be as discreet as possible to avoid attracting attention. For example, use secluded areas, but not anywhere that might be overlooked from a road or path, particularly during daylight hours.
Previous Convictions & CRB Checks
This section tells you about changes to the sexual offences laws and how these affect previous convictions for offences which have now been decriminalised. It gives advice on what can and cannot be disclosed in a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.
CRB Checks
CRB checks enable an employer (or similar) to find out whether a potential employee or volunteer has a current criminal conviction or in some cases previous criminal convictions that might be relevant to the job/position they are applying for.
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