Attacks against members of sexual minority groups in Switzerland increased dramatically last year, LGBTI communities say.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ug
The number of reported incidents, including physical assaults, rose to 66 from 42 in the previous year according to a statement by Pink Cross, the Lesbian Organisation and the Transgender Network Switzerland.
Many victims hesitated to report attacks to police or they are not aware of existing offers for help, says Roman Heggli, Pink Cross director is quoted by the SonntagsBlick newspaper.
“There is a high number of unrecorded cases,” he said.
He called on politicians to launch a nationwide awareness campaign and a national reporting office on hate crimes.
Heggli says one in three attacks occurs in the public space particularly during the summer months.
To mark the international day against homophobia on Sunday, the Swiss justice ministry said discrimination based on sexual orientation was a criminal offence.
Earlier this year, Swiss voters endorsed a law aimed at increasing protection of LGBTI community in a nationwide ballot.
A recent Europe-wide survey on gay rights shows Switzerland ranking only mid-table.
More
More
Switzerland ranks mid-table in Europe for gay rights
This content was published on
Switzerland is far from the vanguard when it comes to LGBTI legal rights, according to an international interest group.
Swiss-EU treaties: signatures handed in for Kompass initiative
This content was published on
The committee behind the Compass Initiative submitted the signatures it had collected to the Federal Chancellery on Friday.
This content was published on
Esther Grether has died aged 89. Considered one of Switzerland’s leading entrepreneurs, the owner of the Basel-based Doetsch Grether Group was also a major shareholder in the Swatch Group and an art collector.
This content was published on
The flag of the Swiss Wrestling Federation has been received at the start of the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Mollis, canton Glarus.
Figurine heads in Zurich school not considered discriminatory
This content was published on
The 16 carved figurine heads in the auditorium of the Hirschengraben school building in Zurich are not discriminatory, according to an independent expert report.
Swiss political parties report income of CHF22.4 million for 2024
This content was published on
Ten parties reported income totalling CHF22.4 million for 2024, less than in the 2023 election year. The reports are based on the regulations for transparency in political financing.
FIFA loses multi-million lawsuit against Blatter and Kattner
This content was published on
Former FIFA officials Joseph Blatter and Markus Kattner do not have to pay back their own bonuses or the bonus totalling CHF 23 million paid to another FIFA official to FIFA. This was decided by the Zurich Labour Court.
How cancer cells makes healthy cells work for them
This content was published on
Cancer cells manipulate neighbouring cells for their own purposes: a research team at ETH Zurich has discovered that they can reprogram neighbouring cells in such a way that they help the tumour to grow.
This content was published on
The ban on non-residents entering the swimming pool in Porrentruy, canton Jura, expires on Sunday and would be extended until the end of the season, the mayor said.
Natural disasters: most Swiss back forced resettlement
This content was published on
The authorities should be allowed to order forced relocations if there is a medium-term risk of a natural event, according to 58% of participants in a survey.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss LGBTI community wants authorities to track hate crimes
This content was published on
“It is an appeal that we are making to finally have an overview of the situation in Switzerland,” says Muriel Waeger, head of LOS (Organisation suisse des lesbiennes), in Lausanne. Members of the homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) community are more likely to be the targets of hate crimes related to their sexual…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.