by Heather Leslie

A new face of hate introduces additional problems, but it also allows for solutions. Amnesty International, a worldwide organization that campaigns for human rights, devised a 10-point plan which governments can adopt to prevent ill-treatment by agents of the state. The program, released in June 2001, highlights the need for specific safeguards for overcoming impunity and combating discrimination.

1. Repeal laws outlawing homosexuality: Review legislation which could result in the discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
2. Condemn torture, whoever the victim: Officials at the highest level publicly should condemn torture.
3. Provide safeguards in custody: Ensure that all enforcement personnel are trained in how to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from torture or ill-treatment.
4. Prohibit forced medical ‘treatment’: Medical treatment of homosexuals against their will and aimed at changing their sexual orientation is cruel and inhuman treatment.
5. End impunity: Ensure that allegations and reports of ill-treatment on account of real or perceived sexual identity promptly are investigated.
6. Protect against violence in the community: Police and judicial authorities should act with due diligence to protect homosexuals against violence.
7. Protect refugees fleeing torture based on sexual identity: Governments should review and amend asylum policies as to ensure that anyone with a well-founded fear of persecution on account of their real or imputed sexual identity is able obtain asylum in accordance with the U.N. Refugee Convention.
8. Protect and support LGBT human rights defenders: Governments should ensure adequate protection of human rights defenders at risk because of their work on issues of gender and sexual identity.
9. Strengthen international protection: States should ratify international instruments, which provide for the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, without reservations.
10. Combat discrimination: Governments should secure greater legal protection against homophobic abuses by adopting constitutional provisions prohibiting all forms of discrimination.

Specific countries also are taking measures to include homophobic attacks into hate crime legislation. Homophobic attacks could be classified as a hate crime in England and Wales in a new amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill. The amendment means that perpetrators of crimes stemming from homophobic attitudes will face harsher prison sentences, according to an article on the Web site Gay.com UK.

In October, gays and lesbians in Northern Ireland were included in hate crime legislation, according to the Web site Gay News from 365Gay.com. Judges will hand out significantly higher sentences if one of these factors is shown to have motivated an offender.