2016 deadliest year ever for LGBTQ community, new report finds

Credit: Drew Angerer

Credit: Drew Angerer

If you’re a gay man, a transgender woman, a bi-sexual person or any member of the LGBTQ community, 2016 was a dangerous year for you. In fact, it was the deadliest year on record for the community.

As the world marks the one-year anniversary Monday of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, which targeted a gay nightclub in Orlando, new research from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) reported a 17 percent increase in violent crime against the LGBTQ community last year compared to the previous year.

In the NCAVP's 20th annual report, "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Hate Violence in 2016," the spike in deadly crime last year against the community doesn't even include the 49 shooting deaths at the Pulse nightclub.

The group compiled information on more 1,000 acts of hate violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected people from 12 local NCAVP member organizations in 11 states last year, according to the report.

Some of the findings in the report include:

-LGBTQ people of color, transgender and gender non-conforming people made up the majority of homicide victims.

-There was a 17% increase in homicides of LGBTQ people, not including the lives lost at the Pulse nightclub.

-The majority of violent incidents against LGBTQ members reported to NCAVP in 2016 were conducted by someone the victim knew.

-Hate violence against the community increased online.

-66% of LGBTQ survivors of violence reported indifference or hostility from police.

Read the full report here.

About the Author