LGBTQ+ & Hate Crime Awareness Training Toolkit

LGBTQ+ &
Hate Crime
Awareness

Training
Toolkit

LGBTQ+ & Hate Crime
Awareness Training Toolkit

This training toolkit will enable you to facilitate
LGBTQ+ awareness training within your own
organisation. Use the resources here to build your
own workshop that meets the needs of your staff.
Within the toolkit are links to carefully selected
online resources that can be used as part of a
training package to understand the issues
surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and hate
crimes. This includes identifying hate crimes, how
to report them and how to support someone
through the reporting process.

This toolkit is designed to deliver the following
training outcomes:

Understand the diverse language in use by the
LGBT community.
Understand how to use language to
acknowledge and promote positive identities.
Know how to support a victim of hate crime
and discrimination in your setting.
Know where to signpost people to for support
following an incident.

Introduction

Before the session starts, it is important to
create a safe space for discussion and
reflection for all participants. Do this by asking
what your participants consider to be their
ground rules – this should include the right to
be heard and respected, and the right to
confidentiality (unless a there is a
safeguarding issue). Be open about the
content; give appropriate trigger warnings
throughout the session and allow extra time to
work through any elements which may need to
be discussion more thoroughly by your
audience.

If you are delivering this training face to face,
position the group chairs in a ‘U’ shape and try
to avoid seating participants at tables.

Outcome 1: Understand the diverse Remember:
language in use by the LGBT
community. The ‘Q’ in LGBTQ+ is not always
acceptable: it has been adopted by some
This section is intended to open up discussion but equally many still feel that it is
early on. Brainstorm the words or phrases derogatory and are not happy to use it.
known to the group e.g.: lesbian, gay, The term LGBTQ+ describes a diverse
gender, trans etc. Elicit responses so that group of people who may be gay, lesbian,
each one can be given acknowledgement trans or bisexual.
and discussed as a whole. Try to stay neutral, There may also be a degree of fluidity
do not react negatively to a response that between all of these elements: not
might challenge, let the group use the safe everyone fits neatly into any definition.
space to challenge and explore their Explain that someone described as
thoughts. However, do monitor and step in Cisgender is someone who’s gender
when appropriate to steer things back; use identity matches the gender identity that
the group rules as prompts. they were assigned at birth.

Useful Resources

Kliq Academy are a Belgian
LGBTQ+ education centre.
Their website holds a wealth
of resources to support
training in this area, along
with a set of training videos
available on YouTube. Visit
www.kliqacademy.be/

Outcome 2: Understand how to use Remember
language to acknowledge and promote
positive identities. Everyone can position themselves somewhere on the
gender and identity scales, regardless of their sexual
In section 2 your group will discuss what is orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex
meant by identity. This is then explored in characteristics.
terms of gender, covering gender identity,
gender expression, sexual orientation, and ·Stress the importance of fluidity again: there are always
anatomy. Ask the group to define identity –
what makes someone who they are? environmental and social factors that might alter
Explain to the group that it is one thing to whereabouts someone feels they are on the scales.
know about language, but we must also show
that we are aware of how to use language Useful Resources
positively, to support and acknowledge
individuals’ identities. Genderbread person worksheet
itspronouncedmetrosexual.com
Introduce the Genderbread Person as a
teaching tool for understanding identity and
gender. Work through each part, allowing
time for discussion and reflection. Either use
the videos detailed below or develop your
own resources as appropriate for your group.
Ensure the group understands the use of the
‘singular they’. Explain that it is a gender-
neutral pronoun for use when you either don’t
know someone’s gender, or use when you
know that this person's pronouns are
they/them.

Outcome 3: Know how to support a Useful Resources
victim of hate crime and discrimination
in your setting. Safe to Be video 1
www.youtu.be/a5uAqzWsoUQ
Ask participants to think back to ideas of
identity and what makes them unique. Safe to Be video 2
Maybe they have a specialist hobby, a www.youtu.be/N9cdQ55aPxg
vibrant hair colour or choose to express the
identity through their clothing. How would
they feel if these personal choices were
challenged? Explain that hate crimes are
motivated by abuse and discrimination
about a person’s identity.

Brainstorm how this abuse might be
directed at a person: physical abuse or
violence; verbal abuse or threats; sexual
abuse; offensive calls or texts; written or
printed abuse (including offensive mail or
e-mail); indirect attacks; harassment,
exclusion or isolation; damage to property;
online abuse.

Explain the difference between a hate
crime and a hate incident – although stress
that incidents should still be taken very
seriously and still reported as they can form
part of a bigger picture of events that can
result in crimes being committed.

Show the 'Safe to Be' video 1. Thank them for speaking up and providing Ask if anything could have been done
details of what happened. Use their differently to change the outcome.
Ensure you make participants aware of the preferred name and/or gender when
sensitive nature of the content by issuing a talking to them. Sit at a 90° angle instead Discuss the ways in which to support a
trigger warning.Example: This video of right in front of them. victim by making them feel safe and
contains abusive language, stalking, comfortable and by showing them the
homophobic and transphobic violence, It is important to tell the victim that they respect they didn’t receive from the
and assault. are being believed and that any details of perpetrator. This includes asking if they are
the incident will be kept in confidence ready to talk, or whether they would like to
Allow adequate time for reflection and (unless there is a safeguarding issue). another time – check back if another time
discussion – what were they key points: use Supporters should offer reassurance to is agreed. If they want to talk, allow breaks
of language; body language; behavior of victims that it is NOT their fault, that they for them to collect their thoughts.Choose
the victim; behavior of the professional; are much more than the sum of the abuse. an appropriate room that offers privacy.
outcome of the meeting. Ask if anything Make sure the room environment is
could have been done differently to Show the 'Safe to Be' video 2. prepared i.e., not too hot, limited
change the outcome. distractions etc.

Discuss the ways in which to support a Ensure you make participants aware of the
victim by making them feel safe and sensitive nature of the content by issuing a
comfortable and by showing them the trigger warning. Example: This video
respect they didn’t receive from the contains abusive language, stalking,
perpetrator. This includes asking if they are homophobic and transphobic violence,
ready to talk, or whether they would like to and assault.
another time – check back if another time
is agreed. If they want to talk, allow breaks Allow adequate time for reflection and
for them to collect their thoughts.Choose discussion – what were they key points: use
an appropriate room that offers privacy. of language; body language; behavior of
Make sure the room environment is the victim; behavior of the professional;
prepared i.e., not too hot, limited outcome of the meeting.
distractions etc.

Outcome 4: Know where to signpost Third party reporting centres have trained
people to for support following an personnel on hand to guide victims
incident. through the reporting process – even

dealing with the police themselves, where

Hate crimes can have a lasting impact appropriate. Victims can choose to

because they are a direct attack on a remain anonymous and just have the

person’s core identity. Someone questioning incident recorded, but not file a full crime

and threatening your whole way of life, can report.

be devastating. These events cause stress

and upset for a long time after the incident Hate crimes can also be reported online.

has occurred. The advantages of this are that it can be

anonymous and are good if a victim is

Reporting an incident can be difficult: it reluctant to talk to someone in person. In

can be painful to have to ‘re-live’ what some cases, you can leave a telephone

happened, there may also be a fear of not number, and someone will call back.

being taken seriously and a feeling that When supporting a victim of hate crime, it

‘what’s the point’ – nothing will come of it. is important that the victim stays calm and

Explain the importance of reporting, that all does not react or retaliate.

incidents can form part of a bigger picture

and contribute towards ensuring that the A supporter could offer to gather

same does not happen to others in the evidence by taking screenshots of any

future. It can offer a sense of closure if a online abusive content or by keeping a

perpetrator is convicted. diary and writing down what is being said,

when it is being said and where.

If approaching the police directly is too

daunting, then there are other ways to log Useful Resources
what has happened.

Remember Online reporting –
Respecting Diversity
Support for victims is available not just (Hate Crime) –
immediately after the incident, and its Safe4Me
reporting, but also beyond this period. Hate Crime – Galop
Victims should reach out to positive
contacts, support services or networks – do Online support hub –
not suffer in silence. Age UK Isle of Wight