Between 15-17th October 2019, delegates from across Europe met in Madrid for this training event organised by the Council of Europe.
Our President Alain Parmentier provides this summary about the training:
EGPA delegation present: Greece, Serbia, Sweden, France, Spain, Northern Ireland. Countries represented by their Ministry: Poland, Moldova, Lithuania, Italy, Georgia, Portugal, Bulgaria, England, Netherlands. Morning reception and presentation -Word reception of the Secretary of State for Equality. -Intervention of a representative of the Ministry of the Interior on measures to fight against hate crimes, in particular against LGBTI people in Spain. -Presentation of the EGPA by its President Alain Parmentier, its members and its work in Europe. 1st day: workshops: -Presentation by a Spanish LGBTI activist (Manuel LOPEZ, of the Madrid association ACROPOLI) of his surprise to see so many European police officers in uniform present for this cause. Reference to Stonewall events. -Explained the fears of the LGBT community to contact the police. A look at the history of LGBT Police-Community links, the impact of these prejudices today by these potential victims who are LGBT people. Demonstration of the situation in Spain, as well as worldwide with the map of LGBT rights in the world. -It appears that the denial of the importance of aggression is to be taken into account because many LGBTI people minimize the importance of reporting to the police when there are no injuries or light. Often no statement is made because the authors are neighbors or people living in a small town. -Impact on the victims: Fear, state of paralysis, surprise, guilt, loneliness. Victims need to be recognized as victims, for example it is necessary for them to hear that they did not do anything by dressing in this way or holding the hand of their partner in the street. Be careful not to judge a person who does not wish to file a complaint, not to moralize. -The press is often difficult in its communication choices on LGBT-phobic acts. It is necessary to relay the publicity on the actions of the police towards the LGBT public to try to bring them closer. It seems important to talk about the issues of the LGBT community within the services and the police not to trivialize the theme. Explanations of letters and initials: LGBTIQAAQ, binary, pansexual, cisgender Explanation of the Pyramid of Hate: Pyramid of Hate Genocide Hate crime Discrimination Prejudice Everyday language See google: "Allport’s scale of prejudice" 2nd day: -Explanation how to organize a meeting, a conference, an awareness, with guest actors, associations, administrations, etc. -Avoid round tables with stakeholders such as a director and an extreme activist who may have prejudices about the police. Have a mediator who knows how to refocus the debate if necessary. Prioritize schemes to the numbers to avoid any judgment of the action or inaction of the police forces. (See pages 10, 41 and 42) Adapt the concrete examples according to the time allotted to the sensitization; the ideal is for the 4 points. Discussions about the refusal of lgbt victims to report their aggression in police stations. NB: Ditto for coworkers who are reluctant to report their aggression. (See Facing Facts page) Examples to be found about each country where a case has been publicized as a result of a police intervention or a judgment rendered "unfavorable" by the victim, with or without a subsequent appeal to the European authorities. See era.int European examples are interesting for countries where no local example is possible, otherwise the "local" is preferred because much more for the audience. UNI FORM: Ability to file a report online in several European countries where no complaint online is available to date. Workshop on a lesbophobic attack by a group of individuals. First testimonies, collect the technical evidence, official report of the speakers, hearing of the victim, subsequent investigations by the police services. (See page 62) Page 64: Be careful not to have a police officer in front of the victim so that she feels reassured. By cons it can be accompanied by a person of confidence. Pay attention to the promises of protection that can be given to him because it is possible that the reality of the protection is a little different from the promises. Page 68: Thinking about the information circulating on social media, their consequences for the investigation, for the victim, for the image of the police services. Page 76: Specific themes of the questions to ask to specify the aggression, the place, and thus facilitate the investigation. Exercise page 79. 3rd day: These given tools are to be used and adapted according to our personal examples, within each country. Interactive exchange and role play with LGBTI associations, prosecutors, police.