Victim breaks silence

Homophobic violence: “You gay, finally say it!”

The Rainbow Parade is a political demonstration that takes place in Vienna every year at the beginning of June - Matthias and his fellow marchers stand up for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community.(Bild: Patrik Uhlir / CTK / picturedesk.com)

Contrary to an appeal by the "Krone" newspaper to find out to what extent people had already been affected by homophobic violence, many readers responded with the advice that the media should pay less attention to the topic. Would the hostility then diminish? A mistake, as the story of one victim makes clear.

Hate crimes and verbal attacks are more likely to end in violence for people in the LGBTIQ+ scene than for other people - that is a fact. A 2024 study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) shows that LGBTIQ* people are more likely to be subjected to harassment and violence. Among those surveyed, more than one in ten people stated that they had experienced violence in the five years prior to the survey - an upward trend compared to the 2019 survey year. Our Basic Law actually states that homophobia and intolerance have no place in our society, with the emphasis on "actually".